Denver Police discovered the body of a popular and well-known trans flight attendant at her home on Monday after she posted a suicide note on social media. On Monday morning at 2:28 am, Kayleigh Scott posted to Facebook and Instagram: “As I take my final breaths and exit this living earth, I would like to apologize to everyone I let down. I am so sorry I could not be better.”
“To all who have commented and those watching this post, Kay has passed,” her sister posted
“I was up all night and out of nowhere I saw a post by Kayleigh Scott with her last goodbyes on this earth. Many of us, just like myself, who couldn’t sleep, jumped on it right away. All night I tried to reach out, called, texted, and messaged her family on FB, as so did others. Finally, someone was able to send the police for a wellness check, unfortunately, it was too late,” one person shared.
Later on Monday, Scott’s sister, Ashley posted: “To all who have commented and those watching this post, Kay has passed. Thank you for your concern and outpouring of love for her. We are going to miss her so much.” Scott made headlines in 2020 after United Airlines featured her story in a diversity campaign on Trans Day of Visibility 2020. “This is a story that I know is so important for me to continue sharing,” Scott says in the video. “Not for me, but for those out there who are still fighting social norms, the boundaries set upon them, fighting themselves. Gay, lesbian, bi, trans, pan, whatever, whoever you identify as come out to be counted.”
Kayleigh Scott credited the airline with supporting her transition: “My life changed for the better when I came to United as a flight attendant”
Scott credited the airline with supporting her transition. “My life changed for the better when I came to United as a flight attendant. With the support from the company, our business resource group for LGBTQ+ employees, and all of my loving coworkers, I was able to break free from the chains that helped me and to this day, I’m living confidently it’s my true self.” Scott rose up the ranks of the airline, eventually becoming a supervisor in 2021 and an ardent supporter of the AFA, the union that represents United flight attendants. According to Instagram, Scott was an ardent skier and mountain climber who completed 14 of the 58 peaks she selected as her objective. But, according to acquaintances, Scott suffered from depression for many years.
In December, she posted: “2022 has been a year packed with upset and difficulty. I saw too much death & loss in my life, I came to realize I work a meaningless job for a company that doesn’t value me as an employee, I had my heart destroyed, I lost my nice little home and had to downsize significantly and start over. I’m really struggling to find happiness and hope. I’m begging 2023 to be better for me. Please.” In a message posted the same day as her suicide note, Scott wrote: “Life insurance benefits not payable if Flight Attendant used disability benefits before death.”
On Monday evening, Scott’s mother, Andrea Sylvestro, wrote a message to Kayleigh on Facebook: “I now have words, my mind is completely rushed with thoughts of you, and you like a flooded river are just rushing through my heart.” In her post, Scott’s mom quoted her daughter: “I am who I am and I’ll always be who I am, someday the world will catch up to me.”
