Erika Carr GoFundMe raises over $1.1 Million as Utah Mom dies after raising money for her young children 

Erika Carr (Image via Facebook/Erika Diarte-Carr)
Erika Carr (Image via Facebook/Erika Diarte-Carr)

Erika Carr, a mother of two, was raising money via GoFundMe for her own funeral for the past few months. Carr, a Utah resident, was fighting for her life since 2022 after being diagnosed with a rare terminal cancer. She passed away last week. While her goal was to raise $5000 for her funeral and her kids, the donations have crossed $1.1 million with the help of thousands of people.

In her plea to raise funds, Erika Carr opened up about her journey. She revealed she was diagnosed with a high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma, small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) in May 2022. She rushed to the emergency room for a shoulder injury and soon found out about the terminal cancer. Her doctor told her that she would need a good support system at home for her long treatment.

Erika's condition worsened at the beginning of 2024. She was diagnosed with Cushing Syndrome, which caused several other medical issues. Her body experienced rapid weight gain, swelling, bone and muscle deterioration, Type 2 diabetes, Moon Face, high blood pressure, and more. During her visit to the doctor in September, she was told that she had three months to live. Erika discontinued her treatment and tried to spend time with her two kids Jeremiah, 7, and Aaliyah, 5.

Carr revealed how she did not stop working after her diagnosis. Despite her endless efforts, her condition took a financial toll on her and her family's life. With time, she was unable to work and wished to raise $5000 for her funeral. Moreover, she wanted to leave some money for her beloved children.

The fundraiser on GoFundMe saw an immense surge in donations as over 38,200 people came forward to donate. Before her death, Erika Carr confirmed that all the funds that exceeded her funeral cost goal would go to a trust fund set up for her children.


What happened to Erika Carr?

After her long cancer battle, Erika Carr passed away last week. Her cousin revealed details about her death in a Facebook post. It read,

"It is with a heavy heart that this is the final update i will be giving for my cousin Erika. She has joined her mother Sylvia, her Brother JJ, her uncles Chava & Loui on the other side. She fought a long and hard battle. She was strong and held on as long as she could for her babies. I know she was so thankful for all of your support and love and prayers."
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Netizens have been sending Erika's family their condolences.

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Edited by Mudeet Arora