"While it may be hard to believe, it's true," Simpkins said. "Cheslie led both a public and a private life. In her private life, she was dealing with high-functioning depression which she hid from everyone — including me, her closest confidant — until very shortly before her death."
"I have never known a pain as deep as this," she continued. "I am forever changed."
Over the weekend, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed to E! News that the beauty queen, lawyer, fashion blogger and Extra TV correspondent fell from a "higher elevation" of a 60-story condominium in New York City just after 7 a.m. on Jan. 30 and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst and ‘Extra’ correspondent died at 30 years old. Police found her unresponsive on the ground outside of her apartment in Manhattan.
In her statement to E! News, Kryst's mom recalled just some of the "many beautiful memories" she shared with her daughter.
"We miss her laugh, her words of wisdom, her sense of humor and mostly her hugs. We miss all of it — we miss all of her," Simpkins said. "She was a vital part of our family, which makes this loss even more devastating."
She went on to call her more than a daughter but "my very best friend" who had an infectious smile and laugh.
"I love you baby girl with all my heart," she said. "I miss you desperately. I know one day we'll be together again. Until then, rest easy and in peace."
In lieu of flowers, Kryst's family is asking mourners to make a donation to Dress for Success, a global not-for-profit organization that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.
If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide please call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text TALK to 741741 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
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Barbara Walters, the pioneering TV broadcaster who blazed a trail for women in a male-dominated medium, died on Dec. 30, 2022. She was 93.
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Gloria Steinem and Dorothy Pitman Hughes attend the Ms. Foundation for Women Gloria Awards at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York, May 1, 2014. Hughes, a pioneering Black feminist, child welfare advocate and activist who co-founded Ms. Magazine with Steinem, formed a powerful speaking partnership with her and appeared with her in one of the most iconic photos of the feminist movement, has died. Hughes died Dec. 1, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. She was 84.
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Kirstie Alley, best known for her role as Rebecca Howe in the NBC sitcom “Cheers,” died at the age of 71.
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Sesame Street cast member and film subject Bob McGrath attends a special screening of the HBO Documentary Film “Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street” at Symphony Space on December 10, 2021 in New York City. On Sunday, December 4, 2022, McGrath died at the age of 90.
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Kevin Conroy, the voice of Batman in nearly 60 different productions, speaking on stage for the Batman Beyond 20th Anniversary at the 2019 New York Comic Con in New York City. Conroy died on Thursday, Nov. 10 shortly after being diagnosed with cancer at age 66 according to his representatives.
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Aaron Carter, the singer-rapper who began performing as a child and had hit albums starting in his teen years, was found dead Saturday at his home in Southern California. He was 34.
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Takeoff, of rap group Migos, performs on Oct. 8, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. Kirshnik Ball, the 28-year-old rapper known as Takeoff to fans, died at 28 after he was shot outside a Houston bowling alley.
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Jerry Lee Lewis, rock and roll singer and pianist, playing the piano during a concert performance on stage at the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park in Feb. 1977. Lewis died at home in Memphis, Tennessee at age 87.
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Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who opened military combat jobs to women and ended a ban on transgender military service members under the Obama administration, has died at the age of 68. Carter had a heart attack on Oct. 24, according to a statement from Harvard University's Kennedy School.
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Leslie Jordan, the actor and comedian most recently known for "American Horror Story," has died at the age of 67. His spokesman said the "Will and Grace" actor-turned-social media star died after suffering a medical incident while driving on Oct. 24.
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Robbie Coltrane seen at the U.K. premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The prolific Scottish comedian and actor, widely known for his portrayal of gentle half-giant Hagrid in the Harry Potter film adaptations, have died at the age of 72. His agent, Belinda Wright, announced his death on Oct. 14.
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Dame Angela Lansbury, a five-time Tony Award winner and one of the most decorated stage actors in the industry's history, has died. The "Sweeney Todd" and "Murder, She Wrote" star was 96.
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Judy Tenuta, a brash standup who cheekily styled herself as the "Goddess of Love” and toured with George Carlin as she built her career in the 1980s golden age of comedy, died Oct. 6, 2022 at the age of 72.
Erika Goldring/WireImage
Loretta Lynn, a daughter of a coal miner who rose to become a country music star, has died. She passed away on Oct. 4 in her home in Tennessee, her family told the Associated Press. Lynn, known for her unfiltered hits like "You Ain't Woman Enough" and "The Pill," was 90.
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Native American actor and activist Sacheen Littlefeather, known best for speaking on behalf of Marlon Brando at the 45th Academy Awards (above), has died at the age of 75. The speech sparked backlash against Littlefeather and her acting career, which the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences apologized for 50 years after.
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Coolio, one of rap's biggest names of the 90s, has died at the age of 59 according to his manager. Michelle Pfeiffer, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube were among those who paid tribute to the "Gangsta's Paradise" rapper and Grammy-award winning musician.
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Pharoah Sanders, an influential jazz saxophonist who worked extensively alongside John Coltrane in the 60s, have died at the age of 81. The Little Rock, Arkansas native died in Los Angeles on Sept. 24.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Louise Fletcher, the actor who set a new standard for screen villages with her turn as Nurse Ratched in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," has died at the age of 88, according to her agent on Sept. 24. She died in her sleep surrounded by family.
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Kalani David, a rising champion in pro surfing, died at the age of 24 on Sept. 17 in Costa Rica. The athlete, who suffered from Wolff-Parkingson-White syndrone, allegedly suffered a seizure while surfing at Playa Hermosa beach and drowned.
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Henry Silva, a prolific character actor best known for playing villains and tough guys in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ocean's Eleven” and other films, has died at age 95. Silva's son, Scott Silva, announced his father's death from natural causes on Sept. 17.
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Ken Starr, the prosecutor who led the Whitewater investigation into former president Bill Clinton and later a lawyer for former President Donald Trump during Trump's first Senate impeachment trial in 2020, has died at the age of 76. His family cited complications from surgery as a cause of death on Sept. 13.
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Ramsey Lewis, a renowned jazz pianist of 60 years and a three-time Grammy award winner, died at the age of 87 on Sept. 12. The Chicago native started his jazz career with piano lessons at age 4, and then with a band as a high school freshman with fellow church musician Wallace Burton.
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File
Marsha Hunt, one of the last actors from Hollywood's Golden Age, has died on Sept. 10 at the age of 104. Hunt's prolific career – interrupted by a stint on the Hollywood blacklist during the McCarthy era – spanned over 100 movies and television show, as well as a turn in theater.
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Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-serving monarch, died at age 96 on Sept. 8. The queen served as head of state for 70 years, becoming the only British monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee. She died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, which served as her summer residence. Her son, Charles, became king following his mother's death at the age of 73. See her life in pictures.
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Joe E. Tata, known for his role as Peach Pit owner in "Beverly Hills, 90210," has died at the age of 85. His death followed fellow Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Denise Dowse's just two weeks after she passed away, on Aug. 25.
Maarten de Boer / Anne Heche in New York on May 15, 2017.
Anne Heche, the Emmy-winning film and television actor whose dramatic Hollywood rise in the 1990s and accomplished career contrasted with personal chapters of turmoil, died of injuries from a fiery car crash on Aug. 14. She was 53.
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Denise Dowse, known for her role in "Beverly Hills, 90210," passed away Aug. 13 according to her family. The news came just days after she was hospitalized with severe meningitis. She was 64.
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Olivia Newton-John performs during Fire Fight Australia at ANZ Stadium on February 16, 2020, in Sydney, Australia. The actress and singer, best known for her portrayal as Sandy in the 1978 hit "Grease" and for her hit song "Physical," died at age 73. Newton-John battled breast cancer for 30 years.
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
David McCullough, renowned historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, died Sunday. He was 89.
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Pat Carroll, a comedic television mainstay for decades, Emmy-winner for “Caesar’s Hour” and the voice Ursula in “The Little Mermaid,” has died. She was 95.
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Nichelle Nichols, who broke barriers for Black women in Hollywood when she played communications officer Lt. Uhura on the original “Star Trek” television series, has died at the age of 89.
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Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, who won 11 championships in 13 seasons with the team, has died, his family announced Sunday. He was 88.
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"Leave It to Beaver" actor Tony Dow died following a fight with cancer, his family confirmed on July 27, 2022. He was 77.
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British David Warner is photographed at the Duke of York’s Barracks in Chelsea, London, Jan. 19, 1967, where he was rehearsing for the film production “Work… is A Four Letter Word” with British singer Cilla Black. Warner, a versatile British actor whose roles ranged from Shakespeare to sci-fi cult classics, has died. He was 80. Warner’s family said he died from a cancer-related illness on Sunday, July 24, 2022 at Denville Hall, a retirement home for entertainers in London.
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Diana Kennedy, a tart-tongued British food writer devoted to Mexican cuisine, died Sunday. She was 99.
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Ivana Trump passed in New York City at age 73. The Trump family said in a statement, "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Ivana Trump. Our mother was an incredible woman — a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty, and caring mother and friend. Ivana Trump was a survivor."
Franck Robichon/Pool Photo via AP
Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, one of Japan's most powerful politicians and its longest-serving leader, died on Friday, July 8, 2022, after being shot during a campaign speech. He was 67.
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James Caan, Oscar-nominated actor known for memorable roles in movies such as "The Godfather" and "Elf," has died. He was 82.
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Alec John Such, the bassist and a founding member of Bon Jovi, has died. He was 70.
( (Amy Sussman/Gerber via AP, File)
Ann Turner Cook, whose cherubic baby face was known the world over as the original Gerber baby, has died. She was 95.
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Ray Liotta, the actor who appeared in films such as "Goodfellas" and "Field of Dreams," has died, his publicist confirmed to NBC News. He was 67. Liotta was in the Dominican Republic shooting a movie called "Dangerous Waters."
Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP, File
Country star Mickey Gilley, whose namesake Texas honky-tonk inspired the 1980 film “Urban Cowboy” and a nationwide wave of Western-themed nightspots, has died. He was 86.
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George Pérez, whose work for DC and Marvel made him one of the most iconic comic book artists of his generation, died Friday after a battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 67.
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File
Naomi Judd, the Kentucky-born matriarch of the Grammy-winning duo The Judds and mother of Wynonna and Ashley Judd, has died, her family announced Saturday, April 30, 2022. She was 76.
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Orrin G. Hatch, who became the longest-serving Republican senator in history as he represented Utah for more than four decades, died Saturday at age 88.
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Wendy Rieger, a longtime NBC4 Washington anchor and reporter, died Saturday after a battle with brain cancer. She was 65.
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Comedian Gilbert Gottfried performs at Caroline’s On Broadway in New York City. Gottfried died at age 67 after a long illness.
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British author Jack Higgins, who wrote “The Eagle Has Landed” and other bestselling thrillers and espionage novels, has died. He was 92.
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Dwayne Haskins of the Pittsburgh Steelers Haskins was killed when he was hit by a dump truck while he was walking on a South Florida highway. He was 24.
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Legendary singer and Philly native Bobby Rydell has died at the age of 79. Rydell died Tuesday morning at Abington Jefferson Hospital from non-COVID-19 related pneumonia complications.
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In this file photo, Estelle Harris as Estelle Costanza, Jason Alexander as George Costanza, Jerry Stiller as Frank Costanza is seen during an episode of Seinfeld.
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Celebrity makeup artist and beauty mogul AJ Crimson died on March 30. He was 27.
Arturo Holmes
Taylor Hawkins, for 25 years the drummer for Foo Fighters and best friend of frontman Dave Grohl, has died during a South American tour with the rock band. He was 50.
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Stephen Wilhite, the creator of the looping animated image format, the GIF, died earlier this month of Covid, Wilhite's wife, Kathaleen, confirmed. He was 74.
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Former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright speaks at the Watermark Conference for Women at San Jose Convention Center. Albright was the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state. She was 84.
Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File
William Hurt, whose laconic charisma and self-assured subtlety as an actor made him one of the 1980s foremost leading men in movies such as “Broadcast News," “Body Heat” and “The Big Chill,” has died. He was 71.
Jason Merritt/FilmMagic
Actor Johnny Brown, best know for his role as housing project superintendent Nathan Bookman in the 1970s sitcom "Good Times," has died. He was 84.
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Former Australian cricketer Shane Warne was remembered by athletes, actors, prime ministers and rock stars on Saturday following his death from an apparent heart attack. He was 52.
(AP Photo/Dan Grossi)
FILE – Actor Lee Marvin, right, and his wife, Pamela, visit with Mitchell Ryan, star of Arthur Miller’s play “The Price,” backstage at the Playhouse Theater in New York in July 1979.
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Sally Kellerman, the Oscar and Emmy nominated actor who played Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan in director Robert Altman's 1970 film “MASH," died Thursday. In this May 2, 2013, file photo, Kellerman promotes “Read My Lips: Stories Of A Hollywood Life” in New York City.
Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File
Ivan Reitman, the influential filmmaker and producer behind beloved comedies “Animal House” and “Ghostbusters,” died in his sleep on Feb. 12, 2022, at his home in Montecito, Calif., according to his family. He was 75.
AP Photo/Richard Drew, File
Cuban-born artist Carmen Herrera, whose radiant color and geometric paintings were overlooked for decades before the art world took notice, has died. She was 106.
Paul Natkin/WireImage
Syl Johnson, a Chicago soul singer and blues artist whose work was sampled by top hip-hop artists, has died at age 85.
Charles Eshelman/FilmMagic
Ashley Bryan, a prolific and prize-winning children’s author and illustrator who told stories of Black life, culture and folklore in such acclaimed works as “Freedom Over Me,” “Beautiful Blackbird” and “Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum,” has died at age 98.
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Morgan Stevens as David Reardon in “Fame.” Stevens, who was known for playing Reardon and as Nick Diamond in “Melrose Place,” has died at the age of 70.
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Moses J. Moseley, best known for playing one of Michonne (Danai Gurira)'s zombies on the AMC series, passed away at the age of 31 in the Atlanta area, his representative Tabatha Minchew confirmed to E! News. In this March 23, 2018, file photo, Moseley attends the premiere of “Attack Of The Southern Fried Zombies” at Arena Cinelounge in Hollywood, California.
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Cheslie Kryst, the 2019 winner of the Miss USA pageant and a correspondent for the entertainment news program “Extra,” has died at age 30.
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Beloved improvisation comedian and Emmy-nominated actor Howard Hesseman, best known for his role in "WKRP in Cincinnati," died following a surgery Saturday afternoon. He was 81.
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French designer Manfred Thierry Mugler has passed away at the age of 73. The sad news was confirmed on the designer's official Instagram on Jan. 23.
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Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, who helped pioneer the concept of mindfulness in the West and socially engaged Buddhism in the East, has died at age 95.
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Louie Anderson, the Emmy-winning actor and comedian of four decades, has died at 68 on Jan. 21, 2022. Anderson died from cancer complications, according to his publicist.
Sony Music Archive via Getty Images/Terry Lott
Meat Loaf, the rock superstar loved by millions for his “Bat Out of Hell” album and for such theatrical, dark-hearted anthems as “Paradise by the Dashboard Light," “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad,” and “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)," has died. He was 74.
Actor Gaspard Ulliel, known for appearing in Chanel perfume ads as well as film and television roles including Marvel's "Moon Knight," died at the age of 37 in a skiing accident in the French Alps Jan. 19, 2022.
Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SCAD
André Leon Talley, the towering former creative director and editor at large of Vogue magazine, has died. He was 73. In this Nov. 2, 2018, file photo, Talley speaks during ‘The Gospel According to Andre’ Q&A during the 21st SCAD Savannah Film Festival in Savannah, Georgia.
Craig Warga/NY Daily News via Getty Images
Charles McGee, a Tuskegee Airman who flew 409 fighter combat missions over three wars, has died. He was 102.
AP Photo/Peter Kramer, File
Ronnie Spector appears in the press room after performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on March 15, 2010, in New York. Spector, the cat-eyed, bee-hived rock ‘n’ roll siren who sang such 1960s hits as “Be My Baby,” “Baby I Love You” and “Walking in the Rain” as the leader of the girl group the Ronettes, has died. She was 78.
Roden Eckenroth/FilmMagic via Getty Images
Bob Saget, the actor-comedian known for his role as beloved single dad Danny Tanner on the sitcom “Full House” and as the wisecracking host of “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” has died, according to authorities in Florida. He was 65.
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Dwayne Hickman, the actor who played the titular Dobie in "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," died of complications from Parkinson's on Jan. 9, 2022. The actor, producer and television executive was 87 when he died in his home in Los Angeles, according to his family.
