Since the tragic and untimely deaths of former Miss USA Beauty Queen Cheslie Kryst and Zoe Bethel, 2021 Miss Alabama, the pageant organization has been quiet about the steps they would take to prevent these suicides from happening again, until now.
TMZ reports that the Miss USA organization announced that Contestants, who are currently competing, will now have access to mental health workshops. Crystle Stewart, President of the Miss USA Organization, revealed to TMZ that pageants come with a lot of stress, leading to anxiety and depression. The new workshops pair the beauty queens with mental health experts and psychiatrists.
According to TMZ, Stewart confirmed that the workshops made possible through her organization, the Crystle Stewart Foundation, will also teach the contestants how to be stage ready and prepare them to be in the public eye. In addition, the classes will also provide them with coping mechanisms for anxiety and feeling overwhelmed and how to avoid depression if they do not win the competition.
“A lot of people don’t know that pageants [sic] is like a sport. These young ladies train for months and even years for that one shot and after they get that one shot if they don’t win, that’s it. They can’t come back to compete again,” Stewart said. “Like NFL players and NBA players. So a lot of times—not all the time but some of them go [sic] depression after the pageant, leading up to the pageant. Sometimes they’re anxious and I noticed that throughout speaking to some of the state titleholders beforehand.”
Stewart also noted that services would be just as vital for the winners as they would be for those who did not win. Miss USA winners are prone to more stress. Additionally, as pageant winners are uprooted to Los Angeles and become overnight celebrities, Stewart believes much mental preparation is needed for this type of life change.
The death of Kryst affected her profoundly and inspired her to provide mental health resources for contestants.
According to Stewart, the workshops are available only to contestants who are currently competing, but she hopes to establish an alumni program where former contestants can receive similar assistance.
Last month, April Simpkins, the mother of former Miss USA Kryst, revealed in a statement that her daughter struggled with mental health suffering from high-functioning depression.
“I am forever changed,” Simpkins wrote in the statement. “Today, what our family and friends privately knew was the cause of death of my sweet baby girl, Cheslie, was officially confirmed. While it may be hard to believe, it’s true. Cheslie led both a public and a private life.”
Cheslie Kryst’s Mom Said Her Daughter Was Dealing With ‘High-Functioning Depression’ – Blavity News https://t.co/bg0caz26eM
— Shar Jossell (@SharSaysSo) February 3, 2022
Simpkins said Kryst hid her high-functioning depression from everyone—including her, her closest confidant until shortly before her death.
“You were more than a daughter — you were my very best friend,” Simpkins said. “Talking with you was one of the best parts of my day. Your smile and laugh were infectious. I love you, baby girl, with all my heart. I miss you desperately. I know one day we’ll be together again. Until then, rest easy and in peace.”
Kryst died by suicide in January; she was only 30 years old.
