Gayle King Remembers Cheslie Kryst’s ‘Sparkle’ — And Hopes to Shine for ‘High Functional Depression’
Gayle King, longtime journalist and current CBS Mornings host, is known for both her interviewing skills and her depth, length, and quality. friendship.
In the days following the death of her close friend and mentor, Cheslie Kryst, King asked herself a series of repeated questions.
“I really can’t get over it,” King told me as we spoke on the phone a few days after Kryst’s death, which was determined to be suicide. “I am obsessed with it. I have known her. That is — I don’t even know how to understand or wrap my brain about what happened. I really, really don’t. ”
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Many of those who know Kryst or admire her from afar see her as a woman who has it all. But those who may have made such an assumption shouldn’t feel to blame, said Rheeda Walker, clinical psychologist and director of the University of Houston. Culture, Risk and Resilience Lab. There, among other things, Walker and her team study the risks, patterns, and consequences of suicide and the mental health of black adults.
“Hopefully Miss King and the others know her [Kryst] Walker said.
Read more: What We Misunderstand About Black American Suicide
King and Kryst first met in 2019. That year, with the chaos of COVID-19 unresolved, King’s show did a one-on-one interview with a trio of Black women, who who recently won the big crown: Kaliegh Garris, Miss Teen. United States 2019; Nia Franklin, Miss America 2019; and Cheslie Kryst, Miss America 2019. (The fourth black woman, Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa, was also crowned Miss Universe 2019, but was not included in the roundtable.)
In a world where black beauties have been historically smeared, where the very existence of black intelligence and poise is first questioned then usurped, wiping out the kingdoms The crown of the great contest is significant. King began the interview there, calling the women “the black girl’s magic trio.” Her first question to Kryst: When you are crowned, do you realize that this is actually creating a historic moment?
“I didn’t even think about it until we started seeing posts on Instagram,” Kryst replied. She then describes the women’s victories as an indicator of how much work remains to be done off-stage. “I believe that when Ursula Burns is no longer CEO… at Xerox, [at that time] There are no more black female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, and that’s an unfortunate statistic to know,” she said. “This milestone should really be celebrated. But, it’s also a reminder: we still have a lot of work to do.”
And though all three women played a key role in that moment, it was Kryst, a young attorney from North Carolina, who made an immediate connection to her interviewer.
“It’s all great. But Cheslie was the only one, when the interview ended, [to whom] I said, ‘Can I have your number? I wanted to stay in touch with you,” King recalls. “You know, she just has a weird sparkle.”
At the end of 2019, Kryst – who added a career as a journalist to his long list of accomplishments – was pressed to cover the news. More. She mustered up the courage to contact King for advice. When they met on Zoom, as the pandemic would permit, to discuss television coverage, Kryst had a notebook and a pen in hand. She especially wants to know what to do when interviews don’t go well. King, after all, was famously lured R. Kelly to scream, chest tightness back into the interview chair via repeat Kelly’s given name.
Over time, the mentor-mentor relationship has developed into a friendship. Their conversation covered everything from the book Kryst is co-writing to how exactly to make the glasses Kryst wears when she’s not on camera – something King loves when she has one. matching pair – until Kryst hopes to build her career and eventually meet someone. King is quick to point out that singles don’t seem to infuriate her young friend much. This past December, a planned 40-minute lunch turned into a two-hour gab session. It was their first face-to-face meeting since the pandemic began, and their last conversation.
“I’m searching in my brain for thoughts, What did I miss? What did I not see?‘ said King. “There are no signs at all. It’s true. And it’s just the two of us, so it’s not like she can’t be straight. “
On Sunday, when King received a text message announcing Kryst’s death, she initially thought there had been a mistake. But Kryst is gone. Later, King thought that someone had caused Kryst’s death; King thought. She later learns that Kryst has died by suicide. King called Kryst’s mother, April Simpkins, on Sunday night. Simpkins, King said, is also struggling with many memories. She seems to be trying to understand how and why Kryst always seems to be trying to keep her struggles to herself.
Read more: Suicide among black girls is a mental health crisis hidden in plain sight
Kryst’s family declined to comment when contacted by TIME this week. However, in a statement released Wednesday, Simpkins shared some of his thoughts after a New York medical examiner confirmed Kryst’s death was a suicide:
“Today, what our family and friends know about the cause of death of my beloved daughter, Cheslie, has been officially confirmed. Although it may be hard to believe, it is true. Cheslie has made both her personal and private life public. In her private life, she is dealing with a highly active depression that she kept hidden from everyone — including me, her best friend — until very shortly before her death. ,” wrote Simpkins. “Her life on this earth was short, but filled with many beautiful memories. We miss her laughter, her wise words, her sense of humor, and most of all, her hugs. We miss them all — we miss all of her. She was an important part of our family, which makes this loss all the more devastating.”
Duration high activity depression Walker, a psychologist at the University of Houston, says. And suicide is a complex issue, often involving a range of factors in a person’s life. But the practice of covering up suffering while presenting it with poise and happiness is a real and important phenomenon.
“That just throws me a loop because you know, I think we all know people with depression,” King said after I told her a bit about Walker’s research. “You could tell they were having a tough day. But that girl was… She was a spark. “
After reading Simpkins’ statement, King told her team they needed to do a story about high-functioning depression. It is a topic whose importance may never have been clearer.
In fact, depression is a collection of symptoms over an extended period of time, explains Walker. They may be different. But in her clinical practice, Walker says, it’s the people who don’t appear depressed and those who always seem to be “above” among the people she usually has the greatest interest in.
“This is why it’s so important to have conversations about suicide prevention, to get people to realize that we need to join a different kind of society in which people feel,” says Walker. like they can be their truly vulnerable selves.”
If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741 to contact the Line. crisis text. In an emergency, call 911, or seek care from your local hospital or mental health provider.
