Miss USA Cheslie Kryst’s Mother Speaks About Her Successes, Struggles, and Suicide

Cheslie Kryst died by suicide on January 30th, 2022. Before she took her life she asked her mother, April Simpkins, to publish the manuscript she had written chronicling her life and journey to becoming Miss USA. In my conversation with April she talks about picking up Cheslie’s narrative where she left off, what her daughter was like as a child, whether or not participating in pageants exacerbated Cheslie’s mental health issues, and what she’s hoping readers take away from the book titled “By the Time You Read This: The Space between Cheslie's Smile and Mental Illness―Her Story in Her Own Words.”
If you or someone you know are thinking about harming yourself or attempting suicide, tell someone who can help right away call or text 988 to connect with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The Lifeline provides 24-hour, confidential support to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Para ayuda en español, llame al 988.
Cheslie's family is supporting the National Alliance on Mental Illness to honor her legacy an provide help and hope to others experiencing mental health challenges.Your donation honoring Cheslie's memory will help ensure that individuals and families affected by mental challenges are not alone on their journey. To donate to the Cheslie C. Kryst Foundation for Mental Health go to: donate.nami.org/give/458424/#...
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[@mtnpeace2]

What a strong, vulnerable, authentic, and very beautiful soul. Her loss, and her family’s, is unimaginable, yet she chooses to bare her grief-stricken heart and teach us all about depressive illness. I admire her and appreciate all her efforts, especially as a 76 year old woman who has struggled with depression and anxiety my whole life! Thank God we are beginning to talk about it and acknowledge the reality, rather than hiding it in shame for fear of judgment or categorizing it as being lazy, not snapping out of it, mentally crazy, and on and on! Thank you so much to all working to get this to us!❤️🦋🙏

[@donnabaardsen5372]

❤️❤️🙏🙏🌻

[@benjipamkaplan796]

Thank you for BRAVELY sharing your heart

[@tammyg8031]

My heart goes out to you. I suffered from a deep depression for nearly 5 yesrs...no one understood and many blew me off..Thanks for articulating this disease well.

[@ggcruise]

How very generous to share your pain openly to help others. I am so sorry for your loss and wish you peace.

[@donnabaardsen5372]

This is the most moving story Katie has ever shared. God bless this darling mother. Two beautiful souls🙏🙏😪😪❤️❤️

[@Alisacrooks4491]

This has got to be the most realest, vulnerable, and heart pulling interview that I have ever watched. Mrs. April words hit it right on the head of how living with depressed feels like. As a fan of Cheslie, her book feel like a gift to hear from her one last time and to have closure. It is also a reminder that as we navigate through life we need to take care of love ourselves and these around us. ❤

[@aimeeamigone2717]

How could anyone say anything about her body????? She was lovely and beautiful❤

[@patriciadimichele1850]

You are an amazing women and mom. Thank you so much for sharing so openly. It will help many.

[@Retroglamamour]

Powerful interview! ❤️ in tears. 🥺 Cheslie made a huge impact on so many people. I was so shocked and upset when I read the news of her passing, I thought someone was playing a prank. I know all of us think to ourselves, what we would do to have her still here with us 🥺🙏🏻 I hope her story helps someone accept the help they need instead of minimizing until they can’t anymore💔

[@esiler8801]

I truly admire your strength. You offer survivors of this tragedy a hope that is unmatched in many of the bereavement circles I have visited. Thank you for your words....it speaks to my soul. God Bless you April.

[@carolynspence1836]

Iam reading her book now.. she was just so beautiful ❤

[@Mama_T_448]

This video is soooo Beautiful and Important ❤️💔❤️💔❤️

[@johnsullivan6025]

The video seems like a family pictorial promo to me. Wasn't necessary to pull out the family scrap book to focus on a individual's mental health deficiency.

[@xlkarma8446]

Thank you mom. Don’t judge yourself. We, as suicidal individuals don’t judge anyone else. We will do whatever to do the worst. It’s not about fault or blame. It just is.

[@remstew7517]

8:05-9:00 That’s true - every day is a victory when you have depression and it takes enormous amounts of energy to keep going. Nobody talks about the exhaustion. She alluded to it in her final post. Thank you to her mother for bringing awareness to this horrendous illness and may she be comforted ❤️

[@beautifulone5509]

I think there is a lot that her mother isn't saying. Her 1st suicide attempt was in her early twenty's. There had to have been signs early on as a teen or even younger. What was happening in this family and her life in childhood??

[@pauletteclough1002]

You are amazing mother to your wonderfull daughter may her soul rest in peace 🙏 god blessing 🙌 ❤❤❤👸

[@brooklynusa670]

So sad. Thank you for not blaming Miss USA because at least the pageant some happiness to her life

[@diyafalife4]

She is so eloquent. Love hearing her speak and I really feel for her. I bought their book

[@marysmith3761]

Getting help is expensive.

[@wakeuppeople5815]

What a beautiful Mom and you raised a beautiful daughter and that light she had you can pick up her torch and breathe life into others

[@MsDisneylandlover]

This was so sad. Beautiful girl. And she took her life smh. I pray she repented before the lord and she is went the lord. Very beautiful young lady and so sad what happened to her mentally.

[@aimeeamigone2717]

God love her and this mother❤

[@aimeeamigone2717]

Depression is a mthr fkr. Up and down struggle. No joke

[@xlkarma8446]

Bless you. May “GOD” bring you peace .

[@myrnaa8082]

🙏🏾

[@thomaswilson7441]

🤍💯🎯👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@MsDisneylandlover]

I know the funny i lost 2 moms cancer. Everything it is hard..❤

[@slaws2279]

I wish she didn’t do this to herself 💔 Maybe it would’ve helped her to know that she wasn’t alone in how she felt.

[@mandybradley3079]

She was extremely unhappy, and told no close family? Or was she clinically depressed? Sad situation.

[@Youtuber5775-]

The mother is very open about her daughter’s struggles with depression because she committed suicide. She was a beautiful young woman with the whole world at her feet. 😢

[@MsDisneylandlover]

​@@KZbinr5775-i guess she didn't see it that way. She beautiful and so smart. Smh.

[@HoneySuckle123]

3:47 😘

[@BRAIRCO]

They are all hypocrites, they keep talking about "Christy" but no one says that her big conflict was that she was LESBIAN and didn't know how to handle the issue. They talk a lot but hide everything.

[@kimjackson557]

Please explain how you know this

[@killingtimewithsimone3243]

Can you provide some more details ?

[@Jaycarbrownie12]

Sounds like you hoped she was lesbian lol

[@richardbocanegra5945]

Another example why they need to do away with beauty pageants .. as well as these creepy stage mothers. Tragic when she jumped out of her high rise apt .. bad parenting.