A former Miss USA pageant winner died Sunday when she jumped to her death from a Manhattan high rise, police said.

Cheslie Kryst, who won the contest in 2019, jumped from a common area on the building’s 29th floor shortly after 7 a.m.

Kryst, 30, lived on the ninth floor of the 60-story apartment building, according to the New York Daily News.

Sources said she left a note, but the contents of that note have not been revealed. Her last Instagram post, posted not long before her death, said, “May this day bring you peace.”

Kryst won the Miss North Carolina contest before competing in the national pageant. She worked as an attorney in Charlotte before moving to New York as a correspondent for Extra, where she was nominated for two Daytime Emmys.

Extra posted a statement from Kryst’s family:

“In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie. 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.”

In addition to attaining a law degree, Kryst also had an MBA and was a track star during her undergraduate years at the University of South Carolina.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text a crisis counselor at 741741 or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

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[Featured image: Cheslie Kryst in 2020/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP]

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