Cheslie Kryst

Cheslie Kryst was a Division I athlete. She earned a law degree and an MBA at Wake Forest University, then became a civil litigation attorney doing pro bono work to reduce sentences for inmates. She won the Miss USA pageant in 2019 and earned a spot in the top ten at the Miss Universe competition. She then became a correspondent for the entertainment news program Extra.

Last Sunday, according to police, she jumped from a Manhattan building and was pronounced dead at the scene. Yesterday, the medical examiner said she died by suicide. She was thirty years old.

Before she jumped, Cheslie posted a cryptic message on her Instagram page: “May this day bring you rest and peace.”

 However, in March 2021 she wrote a transparent and lengthy essay in which she said, “I discovered that the world’s most important question, especially when asked repeatedly and answered frankly, is: why?” 

She added: “Why work so hard to capture the dreams I’ve been taught by society to want when I continue to find only  emptiness?”

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The beautiful and brilliant Miss Kryst reached the pinnacle of what society dangles before beautiful young girls as amazing achievements that will bring them fame and glory.  The beautiful and brilliant Miss Kryst discovered by achieving everything the world holds dear that the world's accolades and the world's rewards are not satisfying to the soul.

Our prayer for this lovely and accomplished young woman is that in death she found the peace and joy and love in CHRIST that all her earthly achievements could not bring to her. 

Our prayer for her must also be our prayer for ourselves -- that the allure of earthly treasure or earthly acclaim will not turn us from seeking all our souls long for -- GOD'S "peace that passes understanding," HIS "faith that moves mountains," and HIS "love that never fails."

JESUS, we implore you to embrace to YOUR heart of compassion and love this tortured child who evidenced so many gifts, both temporal and spiritual, but found no joy in them.  We ask YOU to allow her to abide with YOU in glory -- forever in the fullness of joy.