Cheslie Kryst’s colleagues shocked by ‘suicide’ of Miss USA who was ‘always laughing and never seemed upset’
THE death of former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst was "shocking" to friends and colleagues who said she was always laughing and smiling.
Kryst was found dead on Sunday after police said she fell from the 29th floor of her Midtown apartment building in New York City in an apparent suicide.
At 30 years old, Kryst was already a former college track star, lawyer fighting for criminal justice reform, a Black Lives Matter advocate, an ExtraTV correspondent and Miss USA 2019.
"She set the standard for all women in America," , a celebrity Red Carpet freelance videographer who worked with Kryst for about four years.
";She was an overall reflection of a progressive, amazing, young black woman," Diaz told The Sun in an exclusive interview Monday.
"When I saw her in the field, she was always laughing and smiling and chatting. She had such a sheer presence about her. That's what's surprising about this.
"She never gave off a sense of despair or anything like that. She was always on point and focused. But we never really know what's going on behind the smile."
Diaz said he woke up Sunday and saw an alert on his phone that a former Miss USA winner died in New York City.
"I was like this can't be Cheslie. No, no, no, no way. Sure as hell, I saw her name and her picture in the story. I couldn't believe it," he said.
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Her family has asked for privacy while they grieve, but Diaz said he's in the planning stages of creating memorial art for her. He has behind-the-scenes photos and videos from when they worked together.
"I want to make sure it's perfect for her," he said.
Read our Cheslie Kryst live blog for the very latest news and updates...
Kryst's sudden death was felt all over the country, with celebrities, athletes, political and community leaders, friends and colleagues taking to social media to pen tributes.
Her ExtraTV colleague Billy Bush said in an - which was accompanied by a picture of Kryst laughing during an interview - that the " family grieves with the family ."
"She was positive, hardworking, fun and of course beautiful. Always dancing in between takes. This is a complete shock to all. We are left with great sadness because the best was definitely yet to come for this special person. Chez."
Her friend and publicist LaToya Evans posted a picture with Kryst on her personal with a touching tribute and personal anecdote about the late model before the Miss USA competition.
Even someone as close to Kryst as Evans was stunned after hearing she died.
"I’m awe struck and heartbroken," Evans said on Instagram. "When I spoke with her a couple of days ago about a BIG upcoming story we were working on, she was happy sounding as always. I could hear her smiling through the phone."
While many saw her or knew her from the runway or caught her infectious smile as an ExtraTV correspondent, her death cut especially deep in Charlotte, where her family still lives.
HOMETOWN OF CHARLOTTE GRIEVES
Charlotte Mayor Vi Alexander Lyles knew Kryst personally years before she was in the public eye.
Lyles told The Sun in an exclusive interview Monday that they met in 2017 when Kryst was starting her law career.
"A friend of mine, who's a former US attorney and worked with Cheslie at the same law firm, said I had to meet her because she was going to be special," Lyles said. "And he was right. She was special."
They had lunch shortly after that and continued to stay in touch.
Lyles said Kryst attended dozens of charity events in the city and attended the North Carolina Mayor's Masked Ball to raise money for historically black schools.
"I was always amazed by her," Lyles said. "When you're Miss USA, everyone wants to meet you, and she would take picture after picture with such grace and talk to everyone. She was very interested in helping our young people.
"I don't know how to express my feelings more than shock and sadness."
Nothing is planned as of yet in terms of memorials in Charlotte, the mayor said. Her he family has asked for privacy at this time, but Lyles said whatever they need, she'll make it happen.
SUICIDE NOTE AND CHILLING LAST POST
Cops believe that the former beauty queen, who lived on the ninth floor, jumped to her death.
In shocking surveillance video, which The Sun has chosen not to show, a body can be seen on the street outside of her home on Sunday.
One witness described seeing a body and blood on the block where she lived.
Scott Erik, 41, and Miles Bartelle, 30, told The Sun they saw cops outside the building on Sunday and described their shock at hearing of Kryst's death.
Erik said: "You never know what is happening behind closed doors. Even if people seem fine they might not be.
";This is a really easy city to get lost in. Check in with your people."
Police sources told the that Kryst left a note behind for her mom April Simpkins, who was awarded the gong of Mrs North Carolina in 2002.
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She is said to have “wanted to leave everything” to her beauty pageant mom.
Then just hours before her death, Kryst uploaded a chilling post on Instagram of herself captioned: “May this day bring you rest and peace.”
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