Late beauty queen Cheslie Kryst chronicles inner turmoil in memoir published after tragic death
Just over a year after her passing, the world is getting a glimpse into the private pain experienced by former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst through her recently published memoir. Titled “By The Time You Read This”, the book co-written with her mother April Simpkins details Kryst's long-running struggle with depression, imposter syndrome and feelings of not being good enough – demons she kept hidden even at the peak of her success.
Despite achieving the title of Miss USA in 2019 and graduating from law school, Kryst writes that she lived with an “unshakable feeling” of inadequacy. The memoir reveals she faced intense online abuse immediately after her crown, with trolls telling her to kill herself. This exacerbated her pre-existing insecurities and made her believe she didn't deserve the title.
Underneath her smile and accomplishments, Kryst was suffering from high-functioning depression. While she managed to suppress anxious thoughts in interviews, the pressures of fame took a toll. Kryst feared people would realize she wasn't competent and was always “waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
Tragically, on January 30th 2022, Kryst took her own life at age 30 by jumping off a Manhattan building. Her final text to mother Simpkins expressed deep sadness, asking for the memoir to be published after her death to help others.
The book provides insight into the torment Kryst privately battled each day. While success and a beautiful exterior masked her pain from the world, the memoir ensures her struggles with mental health are not forgotten.
