Opinion
Mother of Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst reveals her daughter was dealing with ‘high-functioning depression’
Editor’s be aware: This story discusses suicide. For those who or somebody you recognize is having ideas of suicide, please contact the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
April Simpkins, the mom of Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst, mentioned she is “perpetually modified” following her daughter’s suicide and that Kryst was coping with despair.
“Cheslie led each a public and a personal life. In her non-public life, she was coping with high-functioning despair which she hid from everybody – together with me, her closest confidant – till very shortly earlier than her loss of life,” Simpkins mentioned in an announcement on Wednesday.
Kryst took her personal life by leaping from the twenty ninth ground of the Orion condominium constructing in midtown Manhattan on Sunday morning. The New York Metropolis Medical Examiner confirmed on Tuesday that she died by suicide.
Miss USA Cheslie Kryst smiles whereas onstage on the 2019 Miss Universe Pageant at Tyler Perry Studios on December 08, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(.Photograph by Paras Griffin/Getty Photographs)
Kryst acquired her regulation diploma and MBA from Wake Forest College however put her profession as a civil litigation legal professional on maintain to compete in pageants.
She received the Miss USA pageant in 2019 and positioned within the prime ten of the Miss Universe pageant that very same yr.
MISS USA 2018 REFLECTS ON CHESLIE KRYST’S SUICIDE: ‘CHECK ON YOUR STRONG FRIENDS’
After her pageantry success, Kryst grew to become a correspondent for Additional TV, the place she was nominated for 2 Emmys.
Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst visits BuzzFeed’s “AM To DM” on February 28, 2020 in New York Metropolis.
(Photograph by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Photographs)
“Whereas her life on this earth was quick, it was crammed with many stunning reminiscences. We miss her giggle, her phrases of knowledge, her humorousness and largely her hugs. We miss all of it – we miss all of her,” her mom mentioned Wednesday.
“She was an important a part of our household which makes this loss much more devastating.”
SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE WILL BE PRINTED ON STUDENT ID CARDS IN SEVERAL STATES
Kryst mentioned how she managed her psychological well being by seeing a counselor on the Miss USA Fb web page in 2019.
“An important factor that I did was speak to a counselor,” Kryst mentioned in a video on the time. “She’s very easy to speak to. She provides me nice methods, particularly if I’m unhappy or pleased or have a busy month forward of me. So I undoubtedly advocate that.”
Miss USA 2018 Sarah Rose Summers mentioned it was ‘a history-making second to crown’ Cheslie Kryst in 2019.
(Sarah Rose Summers)
Sarah Rose Summers, who received Miss USA 2018 and topped Kryst the subsequent yr, hinted on the challenges that come together with the title.
“It was a history-making second to crown somebody so inspiring,” Summers beforehand instructed Fox Information Digital. “However it was additionally a second of sort of aid, as a result of everyone knows that with numerous love comes hate.”
