‘Extra’ correspondent Cheslie Kryst dies at 30

“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,” said a statement from the family of the Miss USA pageant winner.

SHARE ‘Extra’ correspondent Cheslie Kryst dies at 30
GettyImages_1204481593.jpg

Cheslie Kryst attends New York Fashion Week in 2020.

Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

NEW YORK — 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.

La Voz Sidebar

Lea este artículo en español en La Voz Chicago, la sección bilingüe del Sun-Times.
la-voz-cover-photo-2.png

“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.”

Kryst, a North Carolina attorney, won the Miss USA pageant in May 2019 and competed in the Miss Universe pageant that year.

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.”

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.

The Latest
Matt Eberflus is under more pressure to win than your average coach with the No. 1 overall pick. That’s saying something.
Alexander plays a sleazy lawyer who gets a lifechanging wakeup call in the world premiere comedy at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
He fears the free-spirited guest, with her ink and underarm hair, will steal focus from the bride and draw ridicule.
Five event production companies, nearly all based in Chicago, will be throwing the official parties for the Democratic National Convention in August.
Southwest Side native Valery Pineda writes of how she never thought the doors of the downtown skyscrapers would be open to her — and how she got there and found her career.