April Simpkins is the mother of the late Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst. Kryst battled persistent, depressive disorder for years and unfortunately died by suicide on January 30th, 2022 at the age of 30. The final chapter of (her new) book includes notes from April Simpkins. She details the pain she felt from the moment she realized her daughter was no longer with her but also how she is managing her grief and helping others to do the same. Simpkins is a national ambassador for NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Health.
