Was Cheslie Kryst depressed? Beauty queen ‘led both a public and a private life’: Mom
The heartbroken mother of Miss USA 2019 has shared a very emotional post on her Instagram page and revealed that Cheslie Kryst, who died from an apparent suicide on Sunday, January 30, was suffering from depression. In her post, April Simpkins noted that the death of her beauty queen daughter has “forever changed” her.
Simpkins, who is also the winner of Mrs North Carolina in 2002, continued: “Today, what our family and friends privately knew was the cause of death of my sweet baby girl, Cheslie, was officially confirmed. While it may be hard to believe, it’s true. Cheslie led both a public and a private life. In her private life, she was dealing with high-functioning depression which she hid from everyone - including me, her closest confidant - until very shortly before her death.”
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Kryst was found dead on the sidewalk of her 60th-story apartment building in New York City. She reportedly jumped from the terrace of the 29th floor. Her mother wrote: “While her life on this earth was short, it was filled with many beautiful memories. We miss her laugh, her words of wisdom, her sense of humor and mostly her hugs. We miss all of it - we miss all of her. She was a vital part of our family which makes this loss even more devastating.”
Calling her “a ball of sunshine wrapped in smiles,” Simpkins added: “We talked, FaceTimed or texted one another all day, every day. You were more than a daughter - you were my very best friend. Talking with you was one of the best parts of my day. Your smile and laugh were infectious. I love you baby girl with all my heart. I miss you desperately. I know one day we’ll be together again. Until then, rest easy and in peace.”
In a 2021 essay for Allure, Kryst had explained her feelings and struggles, though she publicly never mentioned any issue regarding mental health. The piece written by her read, “Turning 30 feels like a cold reminder that I’m running out of time to matter in society’s eyes — and it’s infuriating,” before adding, “After a year like 2020, you would think we’d learned that growing old is a treasure and maturity is a gift not everyone gets to enjoy. Far too many of us allow ourselves to be measured by a standard that some sternly refuse to challenge and others simply acquiesce to because fitting in and going with the flow is easier than rowing against the current. I fought this fight before and it’s the battle I’m currently fighting with 30.”
After Kryst’s death, her grandfather expressed his shock over the tragedy. Gary Simpkins told The New York Daily News, “To be extinguished so fast is just devastating. So hard to imagine one minute they’re here and one minute they’re not. And you know that the only [way] you’ll ever see them again is when you yourself pass away.”
He added: “She was such a fantastic person. She was kind. She was generous. She felt for other people. She tried to help other people. She was just one of those rare people that had a heart for people. She had a laugh that was infectious. I can still hear it echoing in my mind. And I don’t know. But I do know that we’ll get through this. We will, but right now this is just devastating.”