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Cheslie Kryst: Miss USA 2019 who jumped to death from NYC condo was a #MeToo advocate

Cheslie Kryst was hailed in 2019 for supporting the #Me Too and #Time'sUp movements during the pageant's question period onstage

North Carolina's Cheslie Kryst, 30, who leaped to her death from the 29th floor of the Orion condominium building on Sunday morning, January 30, was hailed in 2019 for supporting the #MeToo and #Time'sUp movements during the pageant's question period on-stage. The NYPD has said that Kryst's death was a suicide. However, the cause of her death will be ruled by the medical examiner after an autopsy.

Kryst, who won Miss USA in 2019, was a former civil litigation attorney who received her MBA and law degree from Wake Forest University. "She was one of the brightest, warmest, and most kind people we have ever had the privilege of knowing, and she lit up every room she entered," the Miss Universe and Miss USA Organizations said in a joint statement.

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During the final night of the pageant, Kryst was asked whether she thinks these movements, which sought to hold powerful men responsible for sexual misconduct, have gone "too far". “I don’t think these movements have gone too far," Kryst had responded. "What 'Me Too' and 'Time's Up' are about are making sure that we foster safe and inclusive workplaces in our country. As an attorney, that’s exactly what I want to hear, and that’s exactly what I want for this country," she had said. "I think they’re good movements." Supporters of the movements cheered her response, including one 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

Police were called to the 60-story high-rise in the theater district of Manhattan at 7:05 am on a report that a woman jumped from a terrace. Kryst had also worked as an entertainment news correspondent for Extra TV. She had even been nominated for an Emmy. "Our hearts are broken," Extra TV said in a statement. "Cheslie was not just a vital part of our show, she was a beloved part of our Extra family and touched the entire staff. Our deepest condolences to all her family and friends." 

Saying that Kryst "embodied love and served others", her family stated, "In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie. Her great light was one that inspired others around the world with her beauty and strength. She cared, she loved, she laughed and she shined."