Miss Universe 1995 and Miss USA Chelsi Smith died following long battle with liver cancer. She died at 45 in Houston, Texas on Saturday, 8th September.
Her family released a statement on Sunday announcing the death of the former beauty queen. The statement read:
Chelsi was our loving daughter, niece, and friend. We will miss her infectious laughter, joie de vivre, and free spirit.
The statement continued;
She always appreciated the expressions of love and good will from people around the world and from all walks of life.
Smith won the Miss Texas USA pageant in 1995 and went on to become Miss USA before she succeeded Sushmita Sen in the Miss Universe competition. Then, she became one of the only bi-racial women to win the pageant world's triple crown.
After the announcement, Miss New York USA 1995 Shanna Moakler took to her Twitter to tribute her friend and former competitor. "I am heartbroken. Godspeed beautiful. You were my friend and a light," she wrote in her tweet. Here is the tweet.
Tonight I will be playing poker for @CancerFreeGen in honor of my dear friend @Chelsi_Smith who I lost today to cancer. I am heartbroken. Godspeed beautiful. You were my friend and a light. I love and will miss you more then you will never know. The epitome of a Queen. pic.twitter.com/avlhNnnv5U
— Shanna Moakler (@ShannaMoakler) September 8, 2018
Indian actress and Miss Universe 1994 also took to her Twitter paying her tribute to her friend where she wrote "I loved her smile & that generous spirit!!! Rest in peace my beautiful friend," in her tweet.
I loved her smile & that generous spirit!!! Rest in peace my beautiful friend @Chelsi_Smith #MissUniverse1995 Dugga Dugga pic.twitter.com/rm63b98Q72
— sushmita sen (@thesushmitasen) September 9, 2018
She was the first woman to win Miss Universe pageant from the USA in 15 years in 1995. Rest In Peace Chelsi Smith.
