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Miss USA 2019 and ‘Extra’ Correspondent Cheslie Kryst Dies by Suicide at 30

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Cheslie Kryst at Black Girls Rock 2019 Hosted By Niecy Nash - Red Carpet

Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Cheslie Kryst, a former Miss USA winner and Extra correspondent, has died at 30.

Kryst, a lawyer who won the beauty pageant in 2019, was found dead in the street below her 60-story building shortly after 7 a.m. ET on Sunday.

She lived on the ninth floor of the Orion Condominium building in Midtown,  on 350 W. 42nd St., according to the New York Post, and was last seen on a terrace 29 stories above the street.

Her family confirmed the tragedy in a statement:

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. Cheslie embodied love and served others, whether through her work as an attorney fighting for social justice, as Miss USA and as a host on EXTRA. But most importantly, as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor and colleague – we know her impact will live on.

Extra released a separate statement, writing,“Our hearts are broken. 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.”

According to the Post, Kryst left a note revealing she wanted to leave everything to her mother, who herself was crowned Mrs. North Carolina in 2002. The note purportedly did not leave a motive

Kryst also posted a photo to Instagram just hours before the tragedy, writing, “May this day bring you rest and peace,” as the caption.

Kryst won the Miss USA beauty pageant at 28-years-old as a participant from North Carolina, becoming the oldest woman in history to win the title.

The pageant winner later penned an essay for Allure last year, reflecting on her achievements, “overcoming the relentless pressure to achieve,” and on turning 30.

“Each time I say ‘I’m turning 30, I cringe a little. Sometimes I can successfully mask this uncomfortable response with excitement; other times, my enthusiasm feels hollow, like bad acting,” Kryst wrote, later adding, “A grinning, crinkly-eyed glance at my achievements thus far makes me giddy about laying the groundwork for more, but turning 30 feels like a cold reminder that I’m running out of time to matter in society’s eyes — and it’s infuriating.”

“Pageant girls are supposed to be model-tall and slender, don bouffant hair, and have a killer walk,” she continued. “But my five-foot-six frame won with six-pack abs, earned after years of competing in Division I Track and Field, and a head of natural curls in a time when generations of Black women have been taught that being ‘too Black’ would cost them wins in the boardroom and on pageant stages.”

The post Miss USA 2019 and ‘Extra’ Correspondent Cheslie Kryst Dies by Suicide at 30 first appeared on Mediaite.

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