When Erika Diarte-Carr received a terminal cancer diagnosis, the 30-year-old single mom of two worried about her sons. So she created a GoFundMe in the hopes of having a nest egg for her children after her passing. She posted that she’d been silently battling small cell carcinoma for two years.
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The Mom’s Terminal Cancer Diagnosis Was A Shock
Erika wrote on GoFundMe,
“On May 7th, 2022, the day before Mother’s Day, I walked into the emergency room due to what I thought to be just a normal shoulder injury and walked out diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer along with the doctor’s words replaying in my head, ‘I hope you have a good support system at home because you’re going to need it, you have a long and hard journey ahead of you.'”
After battling cancer, she received a Cushing Syndrome diagnosis in January 2024. Erika’s health failed quickly, so she opted to discontinue treatment in September.
“I have been given 3 months to live. 3 months to spend with my babies and loved ones. 3 months to make the best of what time I have left. During these next couple of months I need to make sure my kids will be ok after I am gone. I am faced now with the most difficult thing of planning my own funeral. 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. I have looked into the expenses and I am needing to raise about $5,000 to ensure funeral costs are covered plus I’m wanting to leave something behind for my babies,” she wrote.
Erika Passed Away On Oct 11, 2024
Per a Facebook post from her cousin, Angelique Rivera, Erika passed away.
“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 your support, love, and prayers.”
Through the generosity of others, Erika has raised $1.1 million for her children, Jeremiah, 7, and Aaliyah, 5.
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