Newsman: Cheslie Kryst, the 2019 winner of the Miss USA pageant and a correspondent for the entertainment news program “Extra,” has died at age 30.
Police said Kryst jumped from a Manhattan apartment building and was pronounced dead at the scene Sunday morning. Her family confirmed her death in a statement.
Kryst, a North Carolina attorney, won the Miss USA pageant in May 2019, and competed in the Miss Universe pageant that year.
Kryst earned a law degree and an MBA at Wake Forest University before becoming a civil litigation attorney who does pro bono work to reduce sentences for inmates.
According to police, Kryst’s body was found at approximately 7 a.m. Sunday in front of the Orion building, a high-rise on West 42nd Street in midtown Manhattan.
“In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie,” the statement said. “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.”
In a statement Sunday, the nationally syndicated program “Extra” called her “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.”
During the 2019 Miss USA competition, Kryst said during the final round that she was glad to be competing in Nevada partly because it’s the first and only state in the nation with female majorities in both houses of the state legislature.
That night, Kryst also told a story of how she’ll never forget the time a judge at a law conference told her to wear a skirt instead of pants because judges prefer skirts. “Glass ceilings can be broken wearing either a skirt or pants,” Kryst said.
On Sunday, the Miss America official Twitter account issued a statement on Kryst’s death.
“We are heartbroken to hear about the passing of Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA 2019. Cheslie was an incredible example and a role model for so many,” the statement read. “We send our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all those who knew her.”
Shortly after earning the Miss USA title, Kryst represented the United States at the Miss Universe competition in 2019 and earned a spot in the top 10. With Kryst’s Miss USA win, 2019 became the first year that all four major U.S.-based pageants were won by Black women — including Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa (as Miss Universe), Nia Franklin (as Miss America) and Kaliegh Garris (as Miss Teen USA).
After winning the Miss USA title in May 2019, Kryst became a New York correspondent for “Extra” in October.
North Carolina U.S. Senator Thom Tillis shared on social media that he was “heartbroken to hear about the tragic death of former Miss North Carolina & Miss USA Cheslie Kryst.”
He continued: “I enjoyed meeting her in my office in 2019, where we discussed a number of issues affecting North Carolinians. Susan & I are praying for her family during this difficult time.”
