Cancer is a thief. It doesn't just steal time; it steals the mundane, the quiet mornings, and the plan for what comes next. For Erika Diarte-Carr, a 30-year-old single mother from Ogden, Utah, the theft began with a shoulder injury. Or at least, that’s what she thought it was. It's a story that feels like a punch to the gut because it could be anyone. One day you’re a busy mom of two, and the next, a doctor is telling you that you have months to live.
Erika's name blew up on the internet in late 2024. Most people know her as the "mom who raised a million dollars for her own funeral." But she was a lot more than a viral GoFundMe headline. She was a mother, a caregiver, and a woman who spent her final weeks making sure her kids, Jeremiah and Aaliyah, wouldn't have to fight the world alone.
The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
In May 2022, Erika walked into an emergency room. Her shoulder had been bothering her. She probably expected a brace or some physical therapy. Instead, she was hit with a diagnosis of Stage 4 small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC).
Small cell lung cancer is aggressive. It’s the kind of disease that moves fast and doesn't play by the rules. By the time they found it, it had already metastasized to her bones. The doctor's words were blunt: "I hope you have a good support system at home because you're going to need it."
She didn't quit. Erika kept working full-time for nearly two years. She took only a couple of months off for the initial surgeries and radiation. Honestly, the level of grit it takes to parent two toddlers while your bones are literally being eaten by tumors is hard to fathom. She was a caregiver at Rising Adventures, spending her professional life looking after others while her own body was failing her.
The Second Blow: Cushing's Syndrome
Just as she was managing the cancer, another health crisis hit in January 2024. She was diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome. This is a rare hormonal disorder where the body produces way too much cortisol.
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It was devastating. In a matter of weeks, Erika gained over 60 pounds. She dealt with "Moon Face," rapid swelling, and bone deterioration. If you look at her photos from 2022 compared to 2024, the physical transformation is jarring. It wasn't just about appearance; the syndrome made her high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes almost impossible to manage.
The Viral GoFundMe and the $1.2 Million Miracle
By September 2024, the medical news turned terminal. Her oncologists told her she had about three months to live. Treatments were no longer working. Erika faced a choice: keep fighting a losing battle in a hospital bed or stop and spend her last 90 days with her babies.
She chose her kids.
Then came the "difficult thing." She had to plan her own funeral. Since she didn't have life insurance and her savings had been drained by medical bills, she started a GoFundMe. She asked for $5,000. That’s it. Just enough to cover the service and maybe leave a little something behind.
The internet had other plans.
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The story went viral. TikTok, Facebook, and news outlets like ABC4 and People picked it up. Within days, that $5,000 goal was eclipsed. By the time she passed, over 38,000 people had donated nearly **$1.2 million**.
It’s easy to be cynical about the world, but seeing that much money pour in for a stranger is kind of beautiful. Erika was in total shock. She told reporters she never expected a big funeral or even for people to care that much. The money was immediately moved into a trust fund for Jeremiah, 7, and Aaliyah, 5.
Erika Diarte Carr Obituary: Her Final Days
Erika passed away on October 11, 2024. She died in Ogden, surrounded by the people who loved her most. Her cousin, Angelique Rivera, was the one who shared the final update that broke everyone’s heart.
She was only 30.
The obituary released by Leavitt’s Mortuary paints a picture of a woman who loved the outdoors. She grew up camping at her family’s property in Utah, a tradition she managed to share with her children one last time before she got too sick.
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One detail that really sticks with people is the baptism. Erika and her kids were scheduled to be baptized on Sunday, October 13. She died on Friday. But her family made sure her wish for her son was fulfilled—Jeremiah was baptized that Sunday, just as she had planned.
Why Her Story Still Resonates
We see a lot of sad stories online. Why did this one stick?
- The Human Element: She wasn't a celebrity. She was a single mom who worked as a caregiver.
- The "Shoulder Injury" Factor: The fact that it started with a routine pain is a universal fear.
- The Selflessness: She wasn't asking for money for a miracle cure; she was asking for money to bury herself so her kids wouldn't have the debt.
The medical community often points to Erika’s case when discussing the "silent" nature of SCLC. It’s a reminder that by the time symptoms like shoulder pain (caused by bone metastasis) appear, the window for early intervention has often closed.
How to Support the Family Today
While the initial GoFundMe is no longer the primary focus, the legacy of that money is what matters now. The funds are locked in a trust for the children’s education and daily needs.
If you're looking for actionable ways to honor her memory or help others in similar spots, here’s what's actually effective:
- Trust the Official Channels: Always check the original GoFundMe for updates from Angelique Rivera. Scammers created dozens of fake accounts using Erika’s photos shortly after she died.
- Support Small Cell Lung Cancer Research: Organizations like the Lungevity Foundation or the American Cancer Society fund research into the specific aggressive cancer Erika fought.
- Life Insurance Awareness: Erika’s biggest stress was the lack of a safety net. If you have kids, let this be the wake-up call to look into term life insurance. It’s boring, but it’s the exact thing Erika wished she had.
Erika Diarte-Carr didn't get her miracle cure. But she did get the peace of knowing her kids would be okay. In her last update, she mentioned being at peace because "my babies will never have to worry about anything when I’m gone."
To honor Erika's legacy, consider checking your own health symptoms even if they seem minor, or donate to a local hospice program that helps families navigate the same terminal transitions she faced. Securing your own family's financial future through a simple will or insurance policy is perhaps the most practical way to apply the lessons from her tragic journey.