Miss North Carolina 2024 Carrie Everett Passes Away Following Courageous Cancer Fight
The pageant world is mourning the loss of a trailblazing young queen. Carrie Everett, who made history as the first Liberian American Miss North Carolina and the first student from a Historically Black College and University to claim the title, died on Sunday after an eight-month battle with an aggressive form of cancer. She was just 22 years old.
A Historic Victory and Inspiring Legacy
Everett, a Seattle native, secured the Miss North Carolina crown in June 2024 during her sophomore year at North Carolina Central University. Her victory broke significant barriers in the pageant community. Shortly after her win, she told CBS17, "I can be the first but not the last. I want young women from all over the state and throughout the country attending HBCUs [to know] that this opportunity is for them."
A talented vocal performance major slated to graduate in 2027, Everett also earned the talent award and a scholarship for her performance at the Miss America competition. Her voice and presence left a lasting impression on all who witnessed her journey.
Sudden Diagnosis and Aggressive Treatment
Tragedy struck just over a year after her historic win. In the summer of 2025, Everett was diagnosed with metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive gastric cancer. According to a GoFundMe page established by her family to cover treatment costs, she received the diagnosis after completing her sophomore year and visiting family in Seattle.
During that trip, she began experiencing intense bloating and coughing. Initial medical consultations suggested pneumonia, but by late July, scans revealed masses in her abdomen, swollen lymph nodes, and thickening of her stomach lining. The situation escalated rapidly when she started coughing up blood, leading to an emergency hospital visit and a biopsy that confirmed the devastating diagnosis.
The cancer and its treatment necessitated "radical changes" to her lifestyle, as her family described. Chemotherapy initially showed promising results, with a family update on October 7 noting, "Miraculously, the tumors in her body have shrunk significantly."
A Courageous Battle Comes to an End
However, hope faded in recent weeks. An update posted on March 21 revealed that traditional chemotherapy had stopped working, and plans were made to transfer Everett to an out-of-state facility for alternative treatment. Sadly, on April 6, her family confirmed her passing.
In a heartfelt statement on her Instagram and GoFundMe pages, they wrote, "We are heartbroken to share that last night, the beautiful nightingale, Helen Carrie Everett, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. The cries of her heart became songs that stirred the spirits of everyone who had the pleasure of hearing her sing. She lived a full life, and with her last words, on stage and in life, she proclaimed the goodness of God."
The statement continued, "Her impact on this world is undeniable, and we will carry on her legacy of advocacy and praise. Please allow our family the privacy to mourn. Details of her memorial will be shared with loved ones in the coming days. Please keep our family in your prayers at this time."
Tributes from the Pageant Community
The Miss North Carolina Scholarship Organization also paid tribute, expressing "sincere sympathy to the family of Carrie Everett, Miss North Carolina 2024." They highlighted her impactful use of the platform, stating, "Carrie forcefully utilized the platform offered by the Miss North Carolina title to encourage students in historically black colleges and universities to take advantage of the scholarship and professional opportunities afforded by the Miss America program. She also challenged minority and socially marginalized students to focus on goal setting and personal development, setting their sights high."
The organization added, "Her untimely passing silences a strong voice for social justice but her impact will continue to live on in the lives she touched." Carrie Everett's legacy as a pioneer, advocate, and inspiring young woman endures, even as the pageant world and her loved ones grieve this profound loss.
