CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte native and former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst will become a published author, more than two years after her death. Her mother, April Simpkins, is now releasing her book.
Kryst died by suicide in January 2022.
The first half of the book was written by Kryst, and the second half was written by Simpkins.
“Cheslie dealt with high-functioning depression,” Simpkins previously said. “The Cheslie you saw didn’t always match the way she felt inside. Just because someone tells you they’re fine, doesn’t mean they are.”
In an Instagram post shared Thursday, Simpkins said Kryst finished the manuscript shortly before her death.
"While she didn’t set out to write about her mental illness, it’s there page after page, chapter after chapter," the caption of the post reads, in part. "The window she opens to her inner thoughts, emotions, triumphs, and challenges is undeniably brave."
Kryst was crowned Miss USA in 2019. She worked closely with the Charlotte community, including the locally-based Dress for Success. She was also an attorney who fought for social justice, and had been a host on the syndicated entertainment news show "Extra."
"By the Time You Read This: The Space Between Cheslie’s Smile and Mental Illness—Her Story in Her Own Words" will be released on April 23.
If you or a loved one are facing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, there is help readily available. You can call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or chat with them online. There are also resources in North Carolina available here and in South Carolina available here.
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