Family members and friends of Cheslie Kryst gathered on Friday at a public memorial service in Charlotte, North Carolina, to celebrate the life of the former Miss USA, attorney, and ExtraTV host.
Kryst, who was 30 years old, died by suicide on January 30. Following Kryst's death, her mother April Simpkins shared in a statement that her daughter had high-functioning depression.
Kryst's alma mater Wake Forest University, where she earned her law degree and an MBA in 2017, announced during the service held at Elevation Church in Blakeney that it had named an annual scholarship in her honor to be awarded to a law student of color, according to DaShawn Brown, a journalist for local news outlet WSOC-TV.
Brown, who attended the memorial service, tweeted that the scholarship will be named the Cheslie C. Kryst Diversity & Social Justice Law Scholarship.
—DaShawn Brown (@DaShawnWSOC9) February 19, 2022
If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, as well as best practices for professionals and resources to aid in prevention and crisis situations. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.
