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Cheslie Kryst Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth28 April 1991

Age30 (at time of death)

BirthplaceJackson, Michigan, United States

ProfessionModel, Television presenter, Attorney

NationalityAmerican

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyParents: Rodney A. Kryst and April Simpkins; Siblings: Asa, Chandler, Jet, Brooklyn, Page Veronica

Cheslie Kryst Biography

Cheslie Corrinne Kryst was an American model, attorney and television correspondent best known for winning Miss USA 2019. A former Division I athlete and a

Early life and background

Cheslie Corrinne Kryst was born on April 28, 1991, in Jackson, Michigan. Raised in a family with a mixed heritage — her father was Polish American and her mother African American — Kryst grew up around pageantry: her mother won the crown of Mrs. North Carolina US in 2002. She attended Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and Fort Mill High School in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

Kryst pursued higher education at the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in marketing and human resource management in 2013. She later earned both a Juris Doctor and a Master of Business Administration from Wake Forest University, qualifying to practice law in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Career

Kryst’s public profile combined pageantry, athletics, legal work and media. As a college student she competed as a Division I athlete for the South Carolina Gamecocks, competing in events including the heptathlon and the triple jump. Injuries shifted her focus within track and field, but she finished with results that placed her among the school’s top performers in the triple jump.

Her pageant career included multiple attempts at Miss North Carolina USA before winning the state title in 2015. She later competed for Miss North Carolina USA several more times, ultimately winning the state crown again and representing North Carolina at Miss USA 2019 in Reno, Nevada. At the age of twenty-eight she won Miss USA 2019, becoming the third woman from her state to hold that title and noted as the oldest woman to win Miss USA at that time. That year she was also part of a notable cohort of Black women holding major pageant titles across national and international competitions. Kryst went on to represent the United States at Miss Universe 2019, where she placed in the top ten.

Alongside pageantry, Kryst worked as an attorney. After receiving her law license she joined Poyner Spruill LLP in 2017. Her legal work included pro bono efforts on behalf of people convicted of drug offenses and collaboration with advocates working on clemency and sentence-relief efforts.

In October 2019 Kryst expanded into television journalism, becoming a New York correspondent for the entertainment news program Extra. In that role she conducted interviews with numerous public figures. She also wrote a blog titled White Collar Glam aimed at helping women dress professionally and volunteered with the Dress for Success campaign.

Public profile

Kryst was active on social media and maintained a public lifestyle that included fitness, travel and advocacy. She served on the national board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and was frequently featured on magazine covers. She was known for embracing her natural curly hair in pageant and public appearances.

Personal life and family

Kryst came from a family with several siblings: brothers Asa, Chandler, Jet and Brooklyn, and a sister, Page Veronica. Her parents were April Simpkins and Rodney A. Kryst; her stepfather is David Simpkins. She was unmarried.

Death

Cheslie Kryst died on January 30, 2022, in New York. She was thirty years old at the time of her death. It was reported that she fell from the terrace of her building in Midtown Manhattan and that her family shared a statement expressing devastation and sorrow at her passing.

Legacy and recognition

Kryst’s trajectory—from collegiate athlete and practicing attorney to national pageant winner and television correspondent—made her a widely recognized public figure. Her work on behalf of women’s professional presentation, her pro bono legal efforts, and her role with Big Brothers Big Sisters reflected a professional life that combined public visibility with community engagement.

Latest updates

After her death, public figures and members of the pageant community expressed grief and reflected on her impact. She continues to be remembered for her accomplishments in pageantry, law and media, and for her advocacy and volunteer work.
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Recent Work

New York correspondent, Extra

Became a New York correspondent for the entertainment news program Extra and conducted celebrity interviews.

2019
Miss USA

Crowned Miss USA 2019 and represented the United States at Miss Universe 2019, placing in the top ten.

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Miss USA 2019 winner
  2. Represented USA at Miss Universe 2019 (Top 10)
  3. Practiced law after earning a Juris Doctor and MBA
  4. New York correspondent for Extra
  5. Served on the national board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Cheslie Kryst born?

28 April 1991

What is Cheslie Kryst known for?

Model, Television presenter, Attorney

What is Cheslie Kryst’s marital status?

Unmarried