A Utah mother who raised over $1 million for her own funeral expenses tragically passed away after battling for two years with terminal cancer.

Erika Diarte-Carr, a 30-year-old single mom from Ogden, lost her fight with the illness last Friday (October 11), leaving behind two children: Jeremiah, 7, and Aaliyah, 5.

“She has joined her mother Sylvia, her Brother JJ, her uncles Chava & Loui on the other side,” wrote her cousin, Angelique Rivera, confirming the news. “She fought a long and hard battle. She was strong and held on as long as she could for her babies.”

Diarte-Carr was diagnosed with a stage 4 cell lung carcinoma on May 7, 2022, when doctors discovered multiple tumors throughout her body.

A single mother from Utah who had raised more than $1,000 for her funeral passed away, but not before securing her children’s financial future

Image credits: GoFundMe

Despite the diagnosis, Erika kept her head high hoping to have her illness enter remission and lead a long, healthy life alongside her children. 

However, in January of this year, she was further diagnosed with Cushing Syndrome, an extremely rare illness that occurs in 70 people out of a million. The phenomenon occurs when someone produces or receives an excessive amount of cortisol over long periods of time.

Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, is key in allowing the body to maintain blood pressure, regulate glucose, and reduce inflammation. However, in excess, it can lead to weight gain, loss of muscle mass, depression, and other complications.

Image credits: Mike Bird

Cushing Syndrome, in particular, can lead to further problems like heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, infections, and even memory loss.

The diagnosis forced her to face the impossible task of planning her own funeral, as Erika bravely set up a GoFundMe page on January 25. The campaign was a resounding success, raising more than 230 times the expected goal of $5,000, for a grand total of $1,194,225.

The generosity shown by the community brought light to her final moments, and she left her supporters a heartwarming message before passing away

Image credits: Erika Diarte-Carr

Her fundraising page served as a small diary of her progress, documenting her treatments and the exchanges she had with her doctor, who in 2022 said to her: “I hope you have a good support system because you’re going to need it. You have a long and difficult journey ahead.”

On September 18, Erika received the devastating news that she had only three months left to live, prompting her to prepare for her own funeral.

Image credits: Erika Diarte-Carr

“I have three months to live. Three months to spend with my babies and loved ones. Three months to make the most of the time I have left,” she wrote in an emotional GoFundMe update. “Now, I have to ensure my children are taken care of after I’m gone. Planning my own funeral is the hardest thing I’ve had to face.”

Image credits: Erika Diarte-Carr

The tremendous generosity shown by the community around her campaign gave her much needed hope for the future in the last months of her life, and she left them a heartfelt message thanking them for their support.

“I’m planning a big family trip to create memories that’ll last a lifetime for my children,” she wrote. “Your support has ensured my kids will be financially stable for the rest of their lives. Everything will go into a trust fund for them.”

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