HOUSTON, Texas - Former Miss Universe and Miss USA Chelsi Smith died Saturday, according to WPIX. She was 45.
Miss USA, Chelsi Smith is crowned the Miss Universe 1995 (PHILIP LITTLETON/AFP/Getty Images)
She had been dealing with cancer, Miss New York USA 1995 Shanna Moakler said.
"I am heartbroken. Godspeed beautiful," Moakler tweeted. "You were my friend and a light. I love and will miss you more then you will never know. The epitome of a Queen."
Smith was crowned Miss Universe in the 1995 competition in Namibia, becoming the first woman from the United States to do so since 1980. She was the first African-American woman to win the Miss Texas USA pageant.
Smith's website now shows her birth and death dates against a black background.
Rest in peace messages filled the comments of her last Instagram post.
Smith's family released the following statement: