A Young Mother's Last Wish: A Journey to Cherish Memories

Erika Diarte-Carr, a 30-year-old Utah mother, was diagnosed with Stage 4 small cell lung carcinoma, a rare form of cancer, in May 2022. The devastating news sent shockwaves through her life, leaving her with a mere two years to live. In the following months, she suffered a series of health problems, including Cushing Syndrome, a hormonal disorder caused by excessive cortisol in the body. As her condition worsened, Erika knew she had to make tough decisions about her future. With only a short time left, she decided to focus on spending quality time with her two young children, Jeremiah, 7, and Aaliyah, 5. In an unexpected turn of events, Erika's friends and strangers rallied around her, donating over $1 million to help ease the financial burden of planning her funeral. The outpouring of support has been a blessing, allowing Erika to redirect her energy towards creating lasting memories with her loved ones. In a candid interview, Erika shared her feelings about the diagnosis and her approach to the future. "It happened overnight. I never expected that," she said. "I never expected to have a big funeral service, or a lot of people reach out and help me. With the way it's gone, I'm just in shock. . . just very grateful for everybody and everything that's been there. " Erika's decision to stop treatment has given her the opportunity to cherish every moment with her children. "We're planning stuff now as far as like taking a family trip and doing things that can have or keep when I'm gone, memories," she explained. "We're planning a camping trip to our family's land. "