Her body was discovered near Times Square in a Manhattan neighborhood. She works for a law company and the television show “Extra.”
Cheslie Kryst
Cheslie Kryst, 30, a former Miss USA who also worked as a correspondent for television’s “Extra,” was identified by police as the woman whose body was discovered on a New York City street early Sunday.
The body, which was discovered on West 42nd Street, looked to have fallen from a high place, according to New York police, and Kryst’s death was most likely the result of a suicide.
In a statement, her family said: “We mourn the loss of our beloved Cheslie Kryst with great sadness and grief. With her beauty and fortitude, she inspired people all around the world. “
When Kryst won the Miss USA title in 2019, she competed as Miss North Carolina USA. In the following Miss Universe competition, she placed in the top ten.
She was a lawyer who worked for a firm in Charlotte, North Carolina, and was famous for her pageant accomplishments.
On April 28, 1991, Kryst was born in Jackson, Michigan, and attended high school in South Carolina before graduating in honors from the University of South Carolina.
Wake Forest University awarded her a law degree and a master’s degree in business administration.
Cheslie Kryst told the North Carolina Bar Association’s blog in 2019 that her mother, April Simpkins, who was Mrs. North Carolina in 2002, motivated her to compete in pageants.
“During her reign, I recall watching her win and going to appearances with her,” Kryst added. “Her position gave her a platform to speak out about topics that mattered to her, and people listened.”
Kryst won the Miss North Carolina title five times before winning Miss USA. She praised her perseverance by quoting Winston Churchill, who said, “Success depends on going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”
“She cared, she loved, she laughed, she glowed,” it stated in a statement released on Sunday. “Cheslie Kryst personified love and served people in a variety of ways, including as a social justice attorney, Miss USA, and a host on ‘Extra.’ But, most importantly, as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor, and colleague, we are confident that her legacy will endure.”