Tamron Shares Touching Tribute to Cheslie Kryst Following Her Tragic Suicide | WATCH

Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst, 30, leaps to her death from 60-story Manhattan high-rise: Beauty queen lawyer posted message on Instagram hours before saying: 'May this day bring you rest and peace'

In the wake of Cheslie Kryst’s tragic death by suicide, Tamron Hall opened today’s show with a touching and emotional tribute to the former Miss USA.

Tamron shares a clip of her interview with Kryst from December 2019 and encourages others who are struggling with mental health to reach out and receive support and help from others.

Following her tribute to Kryst, Tamron was joined by Kristin Evans, ex-girlfriend of former NFL running back Zac Stacy, for a daytime exclusive interview. Evans opened up about the viral video of her being allegedly abused by Stacy that led to a statewide manhunt and shares her story of that day. Evans details what was running through her mind while the alleged attack took place and discusses her relationship with Stacy up until that point. Evans also discusses her reasoning behind releasing the footage of the disturbing three-minute attack.

Kristin Evans on telling her family about the alleged abuse she had been experiencing:

“Yeah, I was really embarrassed actually to tell my family. I didn’t want them to know what I’d been going through. I felt like you know, my mom went through something similar when I was younger, and I kind of felt like I failed her a little bit. That I was repeating the same pattern and felt like I failed my children as well.”

Evans shares her internal thoughts while the alleged attack happened:

“I was just trying to stay conscious because we’ve had other, you know, incidents where I was afraid that he would take the baby and I was afraid that he would do the same thing this time as well. That’s why you can hear me in the video saying ‘Zac! Zac! The baby.’ That’s because he was right there and I didn’t want anything to happen to him.”

Evans shares her initial reaction to Zac Stacy’s arrest:

“It was mixed emotions all around. You know, it’s heartbreaking and devastating and I wish he had never done this in the first place. But at the same time, you know, I was relieved a little bit that I was seeing some kind of justice served. And then disappointment again following.”

Evans on how she plans to explain the situation to her children:

“Well, my daughter is 13, so she’s very aware of everything that’s going on. We have open discussions about everything regularly. For my son, I’m not sure. I think I’m just going to be honest with him, guide him, direct him and if he feels he needs to speak about his emotions, allow him to do that freely.”

Following are highlights for Tamron Hall for the remainder of the week. Please note: lineup is subject to change.

Wednesday, February 2: The “care generation” – the unconditional love, physical demands, emotional stress, and financial strain of resilient caregivers, whose lives change to care for a parent, a spouse, a partner, or a friend.

Thursday, February 3: Tamron goes beyond the microphone of some of the most popular podcasts, including “Life Out Loud with LZ Granderson,” which was named one of the best new podcasts of 2021 (Spotify rankings). Plus, how living in quarantine and relying on online shopping inspired SuChin Pak and Kulap Vilaysack’s hilarious podcast “Add to Cart.” And, why the host of a highly popular true crime podcast “Up and Vanished” is searching for justice.

Friday, February 4: Four-time Grammy winner India.Arie on why she is coming forward now to discuss the trauma caused by life in the music industry. Plus, singer Mary Lambert on how she was shamed over her weight while receiving medical care and the conversation for change that it sparked. And, actress Amber Riley on her upcoming thriller, “Single Black Female,” airing on Lifetime.

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A woman who jumped to her death from a skyscraper in NYC on Sunday morning has been identified as former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst.

Kryst, 30, was a lawyer and also worked as a correspondent for the entertainment show Extra. She won the Miss USA pageant in 2019.

Kryst, who had an apartment on the ninth floor of the building on West 42nd Street in midtown Manhattan,  leaped from the high-rise around 7:15am and was found dead on the sidewalk beneath the 60-story hi-rise.

She had last been seen on one of the building's terrace, up on the 29th-floor.   

Miss USA 2019, Cheslie Kryst, 30, was found dead on Sunday morning after jumping from a New York City skyscraper

Kryst posted her final picture on Instagram on Sunday morning writing: 'May this day bring you rest and peace'

Steve Harvey interviews Miss USA Cheslie Kryst onstage at the 2019 Miss Universe Pageant in December 2019

Only hours before jumping, Kryst wrote on her Instagram page, 'May this day bring you rest and peace.' 

The model had also left a note before ending her life that stated she wanted to leave everything to her mother. 

There was no explanation for her actions. 

'Not only beautiful but she was smart — she was a lawyer,' a police source told the New York Post. 'She has a life that anyone would be jealous of. … It's so sad.'

A former winner of Miss North Carolina, Kryst won the 2019 Miss USA pageant wearing a sparkly winged outfit for the National Costume competition, in a nod to Maya Angelou's 'I Know Why the Caged BIrd Sings.' 

It was the first year when the four major U.S. pageant titles were held by Black women. 

Kryst was a former complex civil litigation attorney and licensed to practice law in North and South Carolina

Kryst obtained her law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where she was involved in a number of activities, including the National Black Law Students Association, according to her LinkedIn page

Before joining the daily gossip show she founded the fashion blog White Collar Glam

Miss USA '19 Cheslie Kryst died after leaping from 60-story building

Born in Jackson, Michigan, she graduated from the Honors College and the University of South Carolina. 

She went on to graduate from the Darla Moore School of Business and Wake Forest University School of Law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where she was involved in a number of activities, including the National Black Law Students Association, according to her LinkedIn page. 

She was also an associate attorney at Poyner-Spruill LLP in Charlotte between September 2017 to May 2019 working as a member of the firm's civil litigation team.  

She became a news correspondent for Extra in September 2019, earning her two Daytime Emmy nominees. Before joining the daily gossip show she founded the fashion blog White Collar Glam.

 Kryst is pictured out on the streets of Soho in New York in 2021

Kryst had been working as a correspondent for the entertainment show Extra and had received two Daytime Emmy nominations for her work. She is pictured here interviewing Taylor Swift

'Our hearts are broken. Cheslie was not just a vital part of our show, she was a beloved part of our 'Extra' family and touched the entire staff,' read a statement from the show she worked on. 'Our deepest condolences to all her family and friends.'

In a statement from representatives, Kryst's family described her as 'one that inspired others around the world with her beauty and strength.'

'In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie,' the statement said. 

'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 ExtraXTRA. But most importantly, as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor and colleague - we know her impact will live on. As we reflect on our loss, the family asks for privacy at this time.'

Kryst jumped from the 60-story Orion building, where she had an apartment on the ninth floor. She had last been seen on a terrace on the building's 29th floor

In recent Instagram postings, there was nothing to suggest unhappiness or mental strain

Kryst would often like to share her feelings to her Instagram followers and was public in the knowledge that social media was all for show.

'My Instagram is my highlight reel and I want to look my best while I share a look at my life, my fun, and the body I'm proud of. But that's all it is. A fine-tuned glimpse into a moment in time. Don't allow what you see on here make you forget that I'm incredibly flawed; I simply chose not to share those flaws in a photo,' she wrote last June.

'And definitely don't compare your own flaws to what you see in this picture or any others on my page. It's not fair to compare 100% of yourself, your good days, bad days, and everything in between to a highly curated fraction of me on my best days.'

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available for those in distress: 1-800-273-8255.