The dying Ogden woman who raised $1 million for her children has died

OGDEN, Utah – An Ogden mother with terminal cancer who spent her final weeks raising more than $1 million for her children and her own funeral expenses has died.

Erika Carr's death was announced by her cousin on social media early Saturday.

“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 grateful for all of your support, love and prayers,” Angelique Rivera wrote.

Carr's story captured the world's attention last month as the 30-year-old single mother of two shared her condition with a request to support her children's future on GoFundMe.

Just a day before Mother's Day 2022, Carr said she went to the emergency room with what she thought was just a shoulder injury. She was eventually diagnosed with small cell lung carcinoma, a terminal stage four cancer.

“I hope you have a good support system at home because you're going to need it, you have a long and hard road ahead of you,” Carr said doctors told her.

Earlier this year, Carr was also diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome, a hormonal disorder that caused her to lose weight and damage her muscles and bones.

On September 18, Carr decided to discontinue further treatment due to her prognosis. With an expected three months to live, she hoped to raise $5,000 to cover her own funeral expenses.

“I have never been good at accepting or asking for help, but unfortunately I believe I have reached a point in my life and health where that is no longer an option for me,” Carr wrote.

Carr's appeal immediately went viral and donations poured in from around the world. As of Saturday, the GoFundMe had raised $1,166,157, money that will be used to secure the future of her children Jeremiah and Aaliyah.

In her latest update on GoFundMe, Carr wrote that any money left over after her funeral would go into a trust fund for the children.