'She was a beautiful person': Loved ones gather to honor Cheslie Kryst for birthday - WBTV

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FORT MILL, S.C. (WBTV) - A small crowd gathered to honor the life of Cheslie Kryst at Bob Jones Stadium on the campus of Fort Mill High School Thursday night. Kryst is a Fort Mill High School alum.

Thursday was her birthday. She would have turned 31 years old.

Kryst was not only a former Miss USA, but also an entrepreneur, a correspondent with ExtraTV and a civil litigation attorney. She died by suicide in January.

At Thursday’s vigil, loved ones took turns sharing remarks about Kryst and the life she lived.

“This has been a tremendously bittersweet day for myself and our family as we recall Cheslie’s joy, her smile, her love, her warmth, and her cheerful spirit,” said April Simpkins, Kryst’s mother.

Simpkins was one of a few different family members to speak about the love and warmth the young woman brought to the world.

“Beautiful physically, beautiful spiritually, beautiful as a personality. She was a beautiful person,” described one family member.

Those who knew Kryst best spoke not only about her accomplishments, but her personality, and the way she took time to treat everyone with kindness.

“If you spoke to her, she made you feel like you were the only person in the room and that was magical,” said a family friend during the vigil.

The vigil concluded with family members wishing Kryst a happy birthday and releasing balloons into the air

While Kryst’s death has impacted her own family, it has also helped fuel the national dialogue regarding the importance of mental health.

Julius Rogers, a Charlotte resident, said he didn’t know Kryst personally but has grappled with mental health struggles and wanted to show his support for the Kryst family Thursday.

“A lot of people don’t know what we can suffer through in silence. A lot of days we have to put a smile on our face when we feel down,” said Rogers.

Keelie Jones said she met Kryst through modeling and has also struggled with anxiety and depression. Jones said she is working to help create a nonprofit focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

“I’m definitely trying to honor her through that hopefully, keep that conversation going and let more people know that it’s okay to talk about this and there are people there to help you out,” elaborated Jones.

Simpkins encouraged everyone in attendance at Thursday’s gathering to share personal stories about how her daughter had impacted each of them.

If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Copyright 2022 WBTV. All rights reserved.

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'She was a beautiful person': Loved ones gather to honor Cheslie Kryst for birthday - WBTV
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