Former Miss North Carolina Carrie Everett's family shares emotional tribute following her death from cancer at 22

AUBURN, WASHINGTON (WTVD) — The family of Miss North Carolina 2024 Carrie Everett spoke exclusively with ABC11 just days after her passing, from their home in Auburn, Washington.

Her parents sat at the center, surrounded by Carrie’s grandmother and older siblings.

“It’s hard. We’re not going to pretend. It’s been the hardest moment of our life as a family,” said her mother, Mary Everett. The 22-year-old passed away the evening of Easter Sunday, surrounded by family, after an aggressive battle with signet ring cell carcinoma, which is an advanced form of cancer.

The family shared a video of loved ones singing Carrie’s favorite praise song, a tribute reflecting her Liberian roots. Her father, Bishop George Everett, says he continues to lean on his faith. He also shared one of his proudest memories from his daughter as she visited a church after winning the Miss North Carolina crown and choosing not to wear it inside.

“And she said, ‘I will not wear this crown in the presence of the King of Kings,’” he said.

Carrie was the youngest among her siblings, described by her family as both compassionate and bold. “She was never shy to tell the way she felt about things, sometimes not even sparing feelings, but that’s who she was,” said her older brother, Abenego Kondiano.

“In this battle, she would always say she didn’t set out to be an inspiration, but she wanted to fight to live so with her life she could love people,” said her sister, Rufina Everett.

The family says Carrie was multitalented and had a deep love for singing. She began her pageant journey after placing second in the Miss Auburn Outstanding Teen pageant. After moving to North Carolina for college, she went on to win Miss Johnston County and ultimately Miss North Carolina 2024.

She later chose to attend North Carolina Central University, fulfilling her dream of attending an HBCU. Her family calls her a true child of North Carolina.

“Thank you for loving her, supporting her, supporting her in prayer. It meant a lot,” said her mother. Memorial services for Carrie will be held in Washington on April 18th, with additional services planned in North Carolina at a later date.

Her remains will then be taken to Africa, where she will be laid to rest in Liberia. “Heaven gained an angel. That’s what she was to us,” her mother said.