Heartbreaking photos show the moment a Utah mother of two died of cancer at the age of 33 after raising more than $1 million for her children in her final weeks.
Erika Diarte-Carr’s family shared heartbreaking black and white photos of her after she died in bed on Friday, with her face obscured by a heart emoji.
Just a few feet away, two family members could be seen embracing in grief, while another black and white shot appeared to show the mother 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 love.”
Diarte-Carr began planning her own funeral after being diagnosed at age 30 with a highly aggressive form of small cell lung carcinoma.
Diarte-Carr’s cousin posted a black and white photo of a relative hugging her son as his mother lay dying in bed next to them. She is obscured by a red heart emoji in the image
In another photo, Diarte-Carr appeared in her final moments, with her stricken cousin holding her hand
After being diagnosed with cancer, she was diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome two years later and by September this year her treatments were no longer effective.
Utah mother-of-two Erika Diarte-Carr has died from terminal cancer, her family has confirmed in heartbreaking social media posts
The single mother of five-year-old Ailiyah and seven-year-old Jeremiah suffered from multiple metastatic tumors throughout her body.
She launched one GoFundMe page She planned to raise $5,000 for her children, but her fate captured the hearts of thousands of people around the world who donated more than $1 million.
Her shock terminal cancer diagnosis came after she walked into the emergency room three years ago with only a shoulder injury.
She received the devastating news just one day before Mother’s Day in 2022, before learning on January 17 this year that she also had Cushing’s syndrome.
This caused her to gain weight quickly, more than 60 pounds in a few weeks.
Diarte-Carr suffered from deterioration of muscles and bones, high blood pressure, moon face and type 2 diabetes.
She told me ABC-4 that Cushing’s disease also prevents her from walking.
The single mother continued to work full-time for as long as possible, taking only two months off for appointments, surgeries, biopsies, radiation and chemotherapy treatments.
Diarte-Carr (pictured in her final days) died at the age of 33, relatives confirmed
The single mother suffered from metastatic tumors all over her body. She died on Friday
Her diagnosis of Cushing’s disease led to a worsening of her condition after her treatment stopped, leaving her as ill as 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 most of the time I have left.”
“I felt ashamed that people knew the truth that I kept this a secret for as long as possible,” she wrote in one GoFundMe page“but the physical effects are starting to take over, and I can no longer hide it.”
The treatments stopped when her scans started to improve, but her Cushing’s disease dramatically affected her health and quality of life in the following months.
She says Cushing’s disease is one of the main reasons her health deteriorated to where she is today.
Diarte-Carr stopped her treatments in September because they were no longer effective, and was told she had only three months to live.
“Three months to spend with my babies and loved ones,” she wrote, “three months to make the most of the time I have left.”
Diarte-Carr explained that she wanted to spend time with her children without getting sick from treatments and medications.
She says all her energy is now focused on her children, and she wanted to “just make the most of it” in the time left.
She started a fundraiser asking for help in any way she could, with a goal of $5,000 on GoFundMe for her funeral and to help her children after her death
“Any money that has gone over my funeral expenses is now being put into a trust fund for my babies, that way I can leave something for them and still make sure they are okay when they grow up,” Diarte- Carr wrote
Diarte-Carr then gave an update to those who had or will donate that she had stopped her treatments as they were no longer effective, and was told she had three months to live.
She was now faced with the difficult task of planning her own funeral and ensuring that her children would be cared for.
She asked for help in any way she could and launched the page with a goal of $5,000 to be used for her funeral expenses and support for her children after her death. The fundraising campaign has since surpassed $750,000.
‘Because I have not been able to work for months, I have not saved any money and have not reserved any life insurance for this situation. If you can please donate or share it 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 can never say thank you enough,” Rivera wrote.
Viewers of the post reached out in the comments, offering help and support to the family anyway.
‘Is there anything else we can do? Meals? Halloween costumes? Her story touched so many people!! I pray 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 mama. This story tore me apart. Please, God watch over these beautiful people.”
Utah mother-of-two Diarte-Carr has died from terminal cancer, her family has confirmed in heartbreaking social media posts
Pictured: Diarte-Carr with her children before she was diagnosed with terminal cancer
Her community in Ogden, Utah provided a lot 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
Countless others offered help to the children and Diarte-Carr in her final months, with toys, donations, food, and asking how they could get involved.
Thanking those who contributed, she wrote: “Any money that has gone over my funeral costs is now being put into a trust fund for my babies, that way I can leave something for them and still make sure they will do. okay if they get bigger.”
Diarte-Carr also expressed gratitude to 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 keeps me going.”
Five-year-old Ailiyah told ABC 4: “She’s special to us.”
The family plans to go camping and they hope the children can spend another Christmas with their mother.