April Simpkins, the mother of former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, has spoken out about losing her beloved daughter a day after the New York City coroner’s office confirmed Kryst’s cause of death was suicide.
“I have never known a pain as deep as this. I am forever changed,” Simpkins said Wednesday in a statement shared with Urban Hollywood 411.
She went on to say her daughter had been privately battling depression.
“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,” she said. “While her life on this earth was short, it was filled with many beautiful memories.”
Related Story: Cheslie Kryst Shared Concerns in Candid Essay Before Her Death
Kryst took her life by jumping from the 29th story of the Orion building at 350 W. 42nd St. in Midtown Manhattan on Sunday, Jan. 30, as previously reported.
The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner confirmed to People magazine on Tuesday that the official cause of death for the 30-year-old was suicide.
Kryst was a lawyer and MBA graduate before winning the Miss USA title in 2019. She joined entertainment news magazine show Extra as a correspondent in October 2019.
Kryst was also active in her community, including sitting on the National Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and serving as a Global Impact Ambassador for Dress for Success, a nonprofit that provides professional clothing for low-income women as they search for jobs.
You can read the full statement from Simpkins below:
I have never known a pain as deep as this. I am forever changed.
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.
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.
Cheslie – to the world, you were a ball of sunshine wrapped in smiles. 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 lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Dress for Success, an organization that was dear to her heart. If you or anyone else is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 800-273-8255.
Thank you all for continuing to respect the privacy of our family while we grieve.
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