“A True Light”- Barstow Community Mourns the Life and Remarkable Journey of 13-Year-Old Cheerleader

The Barstow Community has been engulfed in a profound void. Once energy and spirit filled every corner of the community. However, with the tragic death of 13-year-old Alexis Carey, the tightly-knit community grapples with unparalleled grief. The 13-year-old was known in the local community for her passion for cheerleading. 

She was a dedicated student, a beloved friend, and a mentor for children who looked up to her.  Sharing a deep-rooted passion for cheerleading, Carey has been recalled as “a true light”. She was a phenomenal girl, a generational talent if you will. Having an inclination toward academics wasn’t enough for her, she also wanted to excel in athletics. And she did. However, all was not well with her body. 

Community devastated following 13-year-old cheerleader’s death

Carey had been suffering from meningitis. For the uninitiated, meningitis is an infection in one’s brain. It causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes. And while she was receiving treatment for the same, the medical science of the 21st century was simply too slow to catch up. 

The complications related to meningitis turned out to be fatal. Carey passed away on October 24th leaving her family and the community mourning the irreparable loss. 

In her very limited time around the sun, Carey managed to cast an impossible shadow for her loved ones to walk out of. She was exceptional, a generational talent just waiting in the dugout for the world to be ready for her to swing it out of the park. But that wasn’t to be. Carey’s untimely death is truly a loss for the world, as her coach and the assistant cheer director for Barstow Youth and Football Cheer Christian Crain would confirm. 

In an interview with Daily Press, she outpoured her emotions, “She was the girl that knew the littles looked up to her and she took them right under her wing. To say she will be missed is an understatement. My heart is absolutely shattered. The last time I saw her, I was laughing with her about doing jumps and cartwheels. I hope she is rocking those two skills in heaven.”

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Carey was a dedicated cheerleader who cheered on her younger brother’s football team being part of the Barstow Aztecs Club. Her older sister, Courtney Smith reminisces Carey as a friend to many and someone who touched the lives of everyone she met with her warm heart and infectious spirit.

A monument to Alexis Carey’s memory

The club, also keen to keep her memory alive and make it mean something, has initiated a Barstow Aztecs Youth and Cheer program to honor Carey’s life. The Aztecs said, “We are looking into several ways to keep her memory alive, in the meantime, we ask for your support in funding her memorial and celebration of life.”

Rallying in support of Carey’s family helping them in their times of distress, the community set up a GoFundMe page titled ‘Alexis Carey’. Since the inception of the fundraising move, the response has been overwhelming. The contribution amount has surpassed the initial goal of $5,500 as of October 31 and is heading towards nearing $6,500. Besides, the community and her family have taken a pledge to dedicate the yearbook to her memory.

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