Heartbreaking moment Utah mother, 33, dies of cancer after raising $1m for her children’s future

Heartbreaking photos show the moment a Utah mother of two died of cancer aged just 33 after raising more than $1 million for her children during her final weeks.  

Erika Diarte-Carr’s family shared gut-wrenching monochrome snaps of her after she had passed away in bed on Friday, with her face obscured by a heart emoji. 

Two relatives were shown embracing in grief just a few feet away, while another black-and-white shot appeared to show the mom in bed during her final moments. 

‘RIP my beautiful angel, forever in our hearts and never forgotten,’ her cousin, Angelique Rivera wrote. ‘I’ll see you on the other side my boo.’

Diarte-Carr began planning her own funeral after being told she has a highly aggressive form of small cell lung carcinoma when she was just 30 years old.

Another photo appeared to show Diarte-Carr in her final moments, as her stricken cousin held her hand 

After receiving her cancer diagnosis, two years later she was diagnosed with Cushing Syndrome and in September of this year her treatments became ineffective

Utah mother-of-two Erika Diarte-Carr has died of terminal cancer, her family has confirmed in heart-wrenching social media posts 

The single mother of five-year-old Ailiyah and seven-year-old Jeremiah suffered with multiple metastasized tumors throughout her body. 

She launched a GoFundMe page intending to raise $5,000 for her children – but her plight captured the hearts of thousands of people around the world who donated more than $1 million. 

Her shock terminal cancer diagnosis came after walking into the emergency room with only a shoulder injury three years ago. 

She was given the devastating news just one day before Mother’s Day in 2022, before learning on January 17 this year she also was living with Cushing Syndrome.

This caused her to rapidly gain weight, more than 60 pounds in a matter of weeks.  

Diarte-Carr began experiencing muscle and bone deterioration, high blood pressure, Moon Face and Type 2 Diabetes. 

She told ABC 4 that Cushing’s also prevents her from being able to walk.  

The single mother kept working full time for as long as possible, only taking two months off for appointments, surgeries, biopsies, radiation and chemotherapy treatments. 

Diarte-Carr (pictured in her final days) passed away at the age of 33, relatives confirmed 

The single mom suffered with metastasized tumors throughout her body. She died on Friday

Her diagnosis of Cushing’s Disease led to her deterioration after her treatment stopped, causing her to be as sick as she was before she died 

‘Three months to spend with my babies and loved ones,’ Diarte-Carr wrote shortly before she died, ‘three months to make the best of what time I have left’

‘I have been ashamed and embarrassed for people to know the truth that I have kept this a secret for as long as I could,’ she wrote on a GoFundMe page, ‘but the physical effects are starting to take control, and I can’t hide it any longer.’ 

Treatments stopped when her scans began clearing up, but her Cushing’s dramatically impacted her health and quality of life in the following months. 

She says her Cushing’s disease is one of the main reasons her health deteriorated so much to where she is now.

Diarte-Carr ceased her treatments in September, as they were no longer effective, and was told she only had three months to live. 

‘Three months to spend with my babies and loved ones,’ she wrote, ‘three months to make the best of what time I have left.’

Diarte-Carr explained that she wanted to spend time with her children without being sick from treatments and medications. 

Saying all her energy now goes towards her kids, and she wanted to ‘just make the best of it’ in the time left.

She began a fundraiser, asking for help in any way anyone could, with a $5,000 goal on GoFundMe to be put towards her funeral and help support her children after her passing

‘All the funds that have exceeded my funeral cost will now be put into a trust fund for my babies, that way I can leave behind something for them and I can still ensure they are going to be ok as they grow up,’ Diarte-Carr wrote

Diarte-Carr then gave an update to those who had or will donate that she had ceased her treatments, as they were no longer effective, and was told she had three months to live

She was now faced with the difficult duty of planning her own funeral, and ensuring her children would be looked after. 

Asking for help in any way, she launched the page with a $5,000 goal to be used for her funeral expenses and support for her kids after her death. The fundraiser has since surpassed more than $750,000. 

‘Due to me not being able to work for months now I do not have any finances saved up or any life insurance set aside for this situation. If you could please donate or share anything would be appreciated,’ she said.  

Her cousin Rivera shared a heartbreaking photo of her children hugging their mother on a hospital bed and that her story touched the hearts of many. 

‘We are at a loss for words and could never say thank you enough,’ Rivera wrote. 

Viewers of the post reached out in the comments offering help and support to the family anyway they could.

‘Is there anything else we can do? Meals? Halloween costumes? Her story has touched so many!! Praying for her and her sweet babies.’ wrote one. 

Another commented: ‘Omg I’m praying so damn hard for her comfort and for her sweet babies who will have to navigate without their mommy. This story ripped me apart. Please God watch over these beautiful people.’

Utah mother-of-two Diarte-Carr has died of terminal cancer, her family has confirmed in heart-wrenching social media posts

Pictured: Diarte-Carr with her children before she was diagnosed with terminal cancer 

Her community in Ogden, Utah, offered plenty of help and support to the single mother and her family offering meals, toys, food, money and prayers as well as any help they could give

Plenty of others offered help to the children and Diarte-Carr in her final months, with toys, donations, food, and asked how they can get involved.

She thanked those that have contributed, writing: ‘All the funds that have exceeded my funeral cost will now be put into a trust fund for my babies, that way I can leave behind something for them and I can still ensure they are going to be ok as they grow up.’

Diarte-Carr also expressed her gratitude for her medical team in Ogden for their ‘time, care and patience’. 

‘Me and my family thank you ALL from the bottom of our hearts!’, she said.

She added: ‘[My children] are my whole life, light and soul. My children are my fight and what keep me going.’

Five-year-old Ailiyah told ABC 4: ‘She’s special to us.’ 

The family are planning a camping trip, and they hope the children will be able to experience another Christmas with their mom.