Cheslie Kryst’s grandfather struggles with ex-Miss USA’s suicide death

By Joshua Rhett Miller February 1, 2022 1:01pm

Woman who jumped from NYC high-rise identified as Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst

The grandfather of former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst says he is struggling to understand why she jumped to her death from her Manhattan high-rise — extinguishing “a light that shined so brightly” in an instant.

“To be extinguished so fast is just devastating.” Gary Simpkins told the New York Daily News.

“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.”

Kryst, who won the pageant in 2019, leaped to her death Sunday from the 60-story Orion on West 42nd Street in Midtown, where the 30-year-old lawyer and Extra TV reporter lived on the ninth floor.

“She was a fantastic person,” Simpkins said. “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.”

Kryst was born in Michigan but grew up in Rock Hill, SC, Simpkins said.

Kryst, who had 540,000 followers on her Instagram page, posted a message earlier Sunday just before her death.

Cheslie Kryst jumped to her death from the 60-story Orion on West 42nd Street in Midtown on Sunday.

Kryst won the Miss USA crown in 2019. AP

“May this day bring you rest and peace,” the former beauty queen wrote.

Kryst was discovered on the ground outside the upscale condominium building at about 7:15 a.m. Sunday, law-enforcement sources told The Post. She was alone when she leaped from a 29th-floor terrace open to residents.

Sources said Kryst left behind a note saying she wanted to leave everything to her mother, April Simpkins, who was crowned Mrs. North Carolina in 2002. The note did not contain a motive for Kryst’s suicide, sources said.

“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.”

The pageant winner’s family celebrated her “great light” in a statement. G.N.Miller/NYPost

Kryst wrote a candid essay in Allure magazine last year detailing the online trolls who bullied her over her looks or claimed her “muscular build” was actually that of a man. She also had concerns about aging, saying she cringed every time she thought about turning 30.

“Sometimes I can successfully mask this uncomfortable response with excitement; other times, my enthusiasm feels hollow, like bad acting,” Kryst wrote. “Society has never been kind to those growing old, especially women.”

Kryst said she was “currently fighting” a battle regarding the milestone.

“How do I shake society’s unwavering norms when I’m facing the relentless tick of time?” she wrote. “It’s the age-old question: What happens when ‘immovable’ meets ‘unstoppable?’”

At the time, Kryst said she was entering her 30th year in search of “joy and purpose” on her own terms.

“And that feels like my own sweet victory,” she wrote last March ahead of her 30th birthday on April 28.

In a statement released Sunday, Kryst’s family praised her “great light” that inspired others around the world.

“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,” her family said. “But most importantly as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor and colleague — we know her impact will live on.”

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.

https://nypost.com/2022/02/01/cheslie-krysts-grandfather-struggles-with-ex-miss-usas-suicide-death/