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Beauty pageant queen dies after horrific car crash

American beauty pageant queen Kadance Fredericksen has died at the age of 18 after a horrific head-on car crash. According to multiple US outlets, Fredericksen, who was named Miss Okaloosa County Teen USA, tragically died on February 17 following a head-on collision with a tractor-trailer while driving on a Florida highway. The sudden death of the Miss Teen USA title holder was confirmed in a heartbreaking post on The Miss Florida USA Instagram account, saying "our pageant community has lost a beautiful soul" and noting she "was a true light in this world". The Miss Florida USA organisation wrote in their Instagram post underneath a black and white shot of the pageant queen: "It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that we share the passing of one of our beloved delegates, Kadance Fredericksen, Miss Okaloosa County." "Our pageant community has lost a beautiful soul – one who was a true light in this world. She was ambitious, driven, kind, and a leader among her pageant sisters." They added in part of the post, "May we honour her memory by carrying forward the light she so effortlessly shared with the world and our Florida pageant community. Forever our Queen 🙏🕊️." Her pageant coach Michelle Watts told WKRG following her death, "Even though she passed away at 18 years old, literally, her life story and her life start song still sings." "She is going to have such a legacy behind her." Image credits: Instagram

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Mum dies on daughter's birthday after common party trick turned deadly

A mother has tragically died after inhaling helium from a balloon while setting up for hr daughter's first birthday party. Faith Waterman Batistich, from Te Puke in New Zealand, died in a matter of seconds after inhaling helium while setting up for the party with her family in 2022. Professor Timothy Schmidt, Head of the School of Chemistry at UNSW, told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/warning-after-mum-dies-at-daughters-birthday-from-common-party-trick-gone-instantly-051159229.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News Australia</a> that any gas mixture that does not contain oxygen can be fatal if inhaled, and issued a strong warning about partaking in the party trick. "Helium is dangerous to inhale because it replaces the oxygen rich air in our lungs and rapidly leads to loss of oxygen from the body. This condition is known as hypoxia and can be fatal," he said. "Breathing pure nitrogen would be just as dangerous." Faith's family and friends were all laughing and taking turns inhaling the helium from the balloons, when one person suggested they breathe it in directly from the canister, Faith’s twin sister Eden Waterman told the New Zealand Herald. As the 20-year-old went to inhale, someone else turned up the flow on the canister. "It went too fast and kind of shot her in the back of the neck. Her last words were literally, 'Oh s***' and she dropped," Eden recalled. "I was just, like, in shock. I kind of just froze and it was like, 'what the f***, what am I seeing? Like, is this for real?' I thought she was putting it on at the start." She added that Faith "went blue" and was "gone instantly". Despite the efforts of the family and paramedics, Faith was unable to be revived. Professor Schmidt said helium is not considered a dangerous chemical, but it is likely most people are unaware of the risks when inhaling it. "It is used in diving tanks and in medicine. Helium is what we call a noble gas (or inert gas). It does not form chemical compounds or react chemically with the body," he said. "I had never heard of anyone dying from helium inhalation until now, so I would say that the dangers are definitely not well-known. I have done it… and never considered that I might replace all the O2 in my body with helium." Image credits: Facebook

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Queen guitarist Brian May recovering from health scare

Sir Brian May's wife, Anita Dobson, has given an update on his health, following his minor stroke last September. The Queen guitarist, revealed that he had lost control over his arm after the minor stroke, with his wife saying that the health scare had reminded her that "life is precious". “Brian is stable now”, she told The Sun newspaper. “The start of the year has been up and down. We both had the flu but we took the kids to Lapland, 15 of them," the actress, who has been married to the musician for almost 25 years, added. She also said that he had "never been happier" since they had moved from London to the countryside. “To see what it has done to Brian... he loves it. He loves the birds and the animals”, she said. “He feeds all the birds and the badgers, foxes and pheasants. It’s like running a pub for animals.” In another social media post, Sir Brian had previously said the health scare had been “a little scary” but praised the “fantastic care” he received from Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey. At the time he was "grounded" after being advised not to drive, fly or do any activity which would send his heart rate too high. Sir Brian and his family have since been “spending time at home” and “taking each day as it comes”. “It makes you realise that at any minute it could be you. You don’t have to necessarily be old, it could be anyone”, Dobson said. “You think you are fit; you see these people who run marathons and then at a young age they are gone. “You have to live every day as if it was your last. It’s not easy to do that. “You forget and think ‘I’ve got another week’ and it’s all booked up. "You have to be aware that life is precious, and with life changing so fast we are all on a bit of a thin thread, if you like.” Image: Maureen McLean/ Shutterstock Editorial

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Queen Camilla shares major health update

Queen Camilla has shared details of her health diagnosis, after she was forced to pull out of several key engagements in the last few weeks. During the Qatari royal visit in London, she revealed that her recent chest infection was actually a form of pneumonia. The royal had to miss out on the outdoor events of the state visit as she is suffering from post-viral fatigue. It is understood that her condition was viral, not bacterial, and while she doesn't have pneumonia anymore, doctors have encouraged her to rest and take more time to recover from the fatigue. A royal source told<a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/royals/32081690/queen-camilla-illness-royal-engagements/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> The Sun</a>, "Some days the Queen is on really good form. It's just one of those things. She has lost the coughing but the lingering side of it is bouts of extreme tiredness. "There has to be a degree of flex in the Queen's diary at the moment." The Queen contracted the infection after her and the King’s royal tour of Australia and Samoa in October, and as a result had to pull out of a series of high-profile engagements including Remembrance Day commemorations and the Royal Variety Performance. She also had to cancel her appearance at the Palace’s reception for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, hosted by her husband, King Charles, and the annual opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey. There was some concern late last month after the royal abruptly cancelled her planned appearance at the Royal Variety Performance, but she has since returned to her duties in a reduced capacity. “Following a recent chest infection, the Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise sufficient rest,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said. Image: Instagram/ The Royal Family

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Mother jailed after hiding her baby in a drawer for three years

A mother from Chester in northern England who concealed her baby daughter in a bed drawer for the first three years of her life has been sentenced to seven years and six months in prison for what authorities described as an extreme case of child neglect. The child, born in March 2020 in a bathtub, was kept secret from the outside world. She was unregistered, had never met another person besides her mother, and spent her formative years confined to a drawer under a bed. “The child had spent much of its life hidden in a bedroom at the address, even sleeping in a drawer under the bed,” police said in a statement. The neglect left the girl severely underdeveloped and malnourished, with untreated medical conditions, including a cleft palate. Authorities only discovered her plight in February 2023, when the mother’s partner heard unusual noises upstairs and found the malnourished child. Social workers and police arrived shortly after, uncovering a scene described as shocking and heartbreaking. A social worker testified in court about finding the child rocking back and forth in the drawer, adding that the mother showed no remorse and treated the situation with indifference. Investigations revealed the mother would occasionally feed the baby “milky Weetabix” with a syringe and change her nappy. “As time went on, the mother went to work and took her other children to school and left the child in the drawer, alone for hours on end,” the Crown Prosecution Service said. “The baby’s growth and physical and mental development was severely impacted by the lack of care, attention and food and the restrictions of a life spent in a drawer.” By the time she was rescued, the nearly three-year-old child could not crawl, walk or talk. Her physical and mental development was likened to that of a 10-month-old. She suffered from dehydration, swollen limbs and poor muscle tone, conditions attributed to the extreme neglect. The mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in October to four charges of child cruelty spanning the girl’s life until her rescue. During sentencing at Chester Crown Court, prosecutors detailed the grim life the child endured, noting that she had never celebrated a birthday, Christmas or seen daylight. “This child has never known the joy of a family celebration or simple acts of love,” said Senior Crown Prosecutor Rachel Worthington. The court also heard that the mother claimed she was in an abusive relationship with the child’s father and hid the pregnancy out of fear. Since being placed in care, the child has shown remarkable improvement but faces a long road ahead. She has started interacting with others and undergoing surgeries to address her cleft palate. Detective Constable Rachel Di Nicola expressed hope for the child’s future while condemning the mother’s actions. “The shocking neglect was on an indescribable scale and the suffering the child experienced will impact them for the rest of their life,” she said. “All those involved in the case have been left deeply shocked by what we uncovered, and we have all been amazed by the way the child has recovered since they were discovered, and we hope that this recovery continues.” Images: Chester Crown Court

Legal

Robbie Williams reveals mother's devastating diagnosis

Robbie Williams has revealed that his mum, Janet, has been diagnosed with dementia. The 50-year-old singer shared the news during an interview with HELLO!, as he was discussing his upcoming biopic Better Man, set to release on December 26. "My mum's currently got dementia – like my nan in the film – and my dad's got Parkinsons and can't get out of bed. So I'm in a different part of my life right now," he said. This comes four years after Williams first shared the news that his father, Pete Conway, had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. "We've got a lot of family issues right now. My dad has got Parkinson's, my mother-in-law who I love dearly has got a very big illness. We can't get to them. My dad is thousands of miles away," he told The Mirror at the time. His parents have been divorced since 1977, when the singer was just three-years-old. Better Man is a semi-biographical film about Williams in which the singer is portrayed as a chimpanzee, to reflect the fact he always felt "less evolved" than other people. It explores his loving relationship with his grandma, and was a way for him to process "the events that happened when I was younger and the events that still carry on". Image: Canadian Press/ Shutterstock Editorial

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Woman horrified after man brings his mother to first date

A woman has been left stunned after her crush invited his mother to infiltrate their first date. The young woman took to Reddit to recall the mortifying moment, and to ask users if she was out of line by leaving the awkward date. The 23-year-old began the story by explaining how she matched with a 25-year-old man, who she referred to as Jake, on the dating app Hinge. She explained that the couple had been “chatting for a few weeks, and he seemed like a solid guy — funny, good taste in music, and even remembered I loved Italian food.” “He planned the date at this nice little spot in Dallas, which I thought was sweet,” she added. She continued, “I show up, and everything's fine at first. He's already there, we hug, and he even complimented my outfit.” “But like five minutes after I sit down, this older woman walks in. Jake stands up, waves her over, and says, ‘This is my mom!’ 'I thought I misheard him for a second.” After he introduced his mother to his date, she pulled up a chair and began asking the 23-year-old a slew of invasive questions. “She sits down at the table, all casual, and starts introducing herself to me like this is normal. Meanwhile, I'm sitting there, trying to figure out if I'm being pranked. I kind of laugh nervously and say, ‘Oh, I didn't know you were bringing anyone,’ and he goes, ‘Oh, she just wanted to meet you. Don't worry—it's not a big deal’.” “But it was a big deal because she didn't just stop by to say hi — she ordered wine and stayed. The whole time, she's asking me these personal questions about my job, my family, even if I want kids someday.” “It was like an interview, not a date. Jake barely said anything. He just smiled and kept nodding like this was all normal,” she revealed. The woman then shared that after 20 minutes of the awkward encounter, she decided to leave, and texted Jake that same evening to say she didn’t want to go on another date. She said, “I couldn't take it anymore. I said I wasn't feeling great and needed to leave. I texted him later, saying I didn't think it would work out and wished him well.” Although she thought she did the right thing, she began doubting her decision and questioned if she was in the wrong. The 23-year-old concluded the post by asking, '”Now I feel kind of bad. My roommate says I did the right thing because honestly, who brings their mom to a first date? But my coworker said it was rude to just leave and that maybe his mom was just super close to him or nervous for him or whatever. Was I wrong for walking out?” Reddit users flocked to the comments section and ran to her defence as they slammed Jake for bringing his mother along on the date. One person said, “It's absurd that he would bring her. Unless she needs constant supervision due to some health issue. That is a very strange dynamic. You did what most anyone else would have done. Best of luck.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Relationships

Queen Camilla "heartbroken" by death of rescue dog

Queen Camilla, who is recovering from a chest infection, has had to make the tough decision of putting her beloved pet dog, Beth, down after she was diagnosed with an untreatable tumour. The news was revealed by Buckingham Palace in a message shared to social media, which read: "A sad farewell to Beth, the Queen's much-loved companion from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home who brought such joy, whether on walkies, helping on official duties, or curled up by the fire". The 77-year-old royal is said to be "heartbroken" by the loss over the weekend. Beth was rescued by Camilla in 2011, and because she was a rescue, the animal charity was never sure of Beth's age. The royal later adopted another Jack Russell, Bluebell, soon after getting Beth, when she became patron of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2017, taking over from the late Queen Elizabeth II. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCg830XISLD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCg830XISLD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)</a> </div> </blockquote> Recalling the moment she found Bluebell, the Queen previously told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Along I went to Battersea, and Beth appeared, and she had just been moved from pillar to post and dumped. "We thought it would be nice for her to have a friend. They found [Bluebell] two or three weeks later, wandering about in woods, no hair on her, covered in sores, virtually dead. And they nursed her back to life and her hair grew again. "She's very sweet, but a tiny bit neurotic, shall we say. "The nice thing about dogs is you can sit them down, you could have a nice long conversation, you could be cross, you could be sad and they just sit looking at you, wagging their tail." The two dogs were often by her side at public events and were even featured in an official portrait alongside Camilla. Pictures of her two pups were also embroidered onto the Queen's Coronation gown. Camilla once said of her dogs: "I cannot imagine my life, my home or my sofas without them". Image: Instagram/ The Royal Family

Family & Pets

Queen Elizabeth's final diary entry revealed

The final dairy entry of Queen Elizabeth, written in the days before her death, has been revealed for the first time. Featuring in Robert Hardman’s biography on King Charles, Charles III: New King, New Court, the final entry in Her Majesty's personal diary delves into the last days of her life. During her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth kept a private diary to record key events: a tradition she upheld until her final days. The passage, which was penned on September 6th, was made at Balmoral just two days before she died at age 96. She wrote that her private secretary, Edward Young, had visited her, and shared some highlights about swearing in new Privy Council members. “It transpires that she was still writing it at Balmoral two days before her death,” Hardman wrote. “Her last entry was as factual and practical as ever. It could have been describing another normal working day starting in the usual way — ‘Edward came to see me’ — as she noted the arrangements which her private secretary, Sir Edward Young, had made for the swearing-in of the new ministers of the Truss administration.” The Queen’s final engagement was asking Liz Truss to form a government after the resignation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. According to The Telegraph UK, Queen Elizabeth's diary-writing habit is one she passed on to King Charles, with a senior courtier revealing that Charles “doesn’t write great narrative diaries like she used to,” but he does “scribble down his recollections and reflections”. Image credits: Shutterstock

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King and Queen of Spain attacked during royal visit

The king and queen of Spain have been attacked by furious locals during a tour of the flood-ravaged area of Valencia. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were met by an angry mob who have been dealing with the fallout of deadly flooding that has killed 217 people, with another 1,900 missing. Accompanied by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the royal couple arrived in Paiporta on Sunday, when a crowd of hundreds descended. The crowd began to throw mud, rocks, sticks and rubbish at the group while screaming “murderer” and “shame”, with much of the vitriol seeming to be directed as the Spanish leader. The royals were struck with some of the debris, with vision showing the couple’s faces and clothing dirtied with mud. “It’s been four days, where have you been?” one onlooker yelled at the king. “You’ve just come here to pose for pictures. You have no shame.” Another screamed at a visibly frightened Queen Letizia, “You lack for nothing while we here don’t even have water to drink.” According to reports, security tried to whisk the royals away to safety but King Felipe insisted they stay and continue speaking with those who wanted to, with the couple later seen consoling survivors, with one man crying on the king’s shoulder. As they eventually got into their car to leave, a policeman shouted “long live the king”, which was met with howls of “guillotine” by some of the protesters. In a statement issued by the palace hours after the melee, it was announced a second visit by the king to nearby Chiva, another flood-affected town, had been called off. Juan Bordera, a local politician in Valencia, told the BBC that the king and queen’s tour was a “very bad decision”. “It’s logical that the people are angry, it’s logical that the people didn’t understand why this visit is so urgent,” Mr Bordera told the BBC. Image credits: GTres/Shutterstock Editorial

Travel Trouble

New details about Queen Elizabeth's final hours revealed

The final hours of Queen Elizabeth's life have been shared in a tell-all new book about the royals, detailing how Her Majesty was forced to pull out of an important meeting before she died. In his book, Charles III: New King, New Court, author Robert Hardman shared that the day before her death, Queen Elizabeth had met the departing British prime minister, Boris Johnson, and his replacement, Liz Truss, at Balmoral and attended a drinks party that same evening. Hardman wrote that the Queen felt "buzzy" at the event, but her health quickly took a turn for the worst. “She was quite buzzy over pre-dinner drinks,” one guest at the party told Hardman. “But then she said she was going upstairs to have dinner alone.” The monarch then spent the next day in bed, but reportedly arranged with the Privy Council to dial in via video link for an important meeting. As her health deteriorated throughout the day, that was changed to allow for her to call from her bedroom in an audio-only capacity, according to Hardman. But just moments before the meeting was set to get underway, the Queen reportedly made the difficult decision to cancel entirely on “medical advice”. It was that evening that then-Prince Charles was advised by Princess Anne and his private secretary to make his way urgently to his mother’s bedside, with fears that the end was near. Hardman writes that the following day, Charles was told his mother had died over the phone, having briefly left her bedside to have a moment to himself outside. Sadly, most of the royal family didn't make it to Balmoral in time to see the Queen before she passed, with Prince William, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward and his wife Sophie all landing 40 minutes later. Prince Harry shared in his own memoir Spare that he learned of his grandmother’s death by reading it in a BBC breaking news alert, moments after his own flight landed. The Queen died at 3:10pm on September 8th 2022, after more than 70 years on the throne. Image credits: Shutterstock

Caring

"Psycho": Biographer reveals truth about Queen Elizabeth's corgis

The late Queen Elizabeth's love for her corgis was well known throughout her reign, but a new book suggests the pups weren't as sweet as they seemed. The late monarch was a fan of corgis and dorgis – a mix breed between a corgi and dachshund, and she bred them from a young age, owning a total of 83 over 14 generations. In his new biography, A Voyage Around the Queen, Journalist Craig Brown has revealed that the Queen's dogs were actually "psycho" and known for their unpredictable temperament. While it was a common trait for their breed, Brown claims that the lineage bred by the Queen was particularly nightmarish, especially her first Corgi, Dookie. "Dookie did not restrict his aggression to humans: he would happily attack the dining room chairs at Royal Lodge, the family home in Windsor Great Park," he shared. He claimed that Dookie even once bit a politician who came to visit. According to Brown, the corgi's disposition for violence was passed down from generation to generation, even recalling what the Queen's first dorgi, Honey, was like. "In 1984, Piper, the great-great-great-grand dorgi of Honey sank his teeth in several victims, including the Queen Mother and Prince Edward," explained Brown. The journalist added that Piper was then handed over to Princess Anne, who allegedly has a "soft spot for nippers and biters." The late Queen did eventually figure out how to keep the violence at bay, although the method itself is a little strange. "Coincidentally, the way to scare off a belligerent corgi is the same as for a belligerent human being: a blast from the bagpipes," Brown wrote. "Happily, the Queen always kept a set of bagpipes at hand." Images: Instagram/ thequeenscorgis

Family & Pets

Mother helps raise over $1 million for her children ahead of her death

A single mother from America has left an enduring financial legacy to her two young children in the weeks before her untimely death. Erika Diarte-Carr, 30, started a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-erika-and-her-children-with-funeral-expenses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer in order to cover costs of her own funeral, as well as providing funds to raise her two kids, Jeremiah, 7, and Aaliyah, 5. After setting the fundraising goal for $5,000 USD, generous members of her community spread the word of her selfless actions, with the fundraiser now reaching over $1.7 million USD and counting. Titled “Support Erika: A Mother planning her own funeral”, the page has garnered more than 38,000 individual donations. The page reads, “Dear family, friends and to all of those of you who may or may not know know me..." “My name is Erika Diarte-Carr. I am 30 years old and a single mother of two beautiful children. Jeremiah (7) and Aaliyah (5). ❤️ They are my whole life, light and soul. My children are my fight and what keep me going.” The mother then shared the tragic details of her cancer journey, as she recalled being diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer in May 2022 after presenting for “normal shoulder surgery”. “By that point, the damage had already been done. In that moment, mine and my kids’ entire lives had changed forever, as well as all of those around us,” she wrote. On top of her cancer diagnosis, Erika was hit with another blow in January 2024 as she was diagnosed with Cushing's Syndrome, which resulted in rapid weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, and further debilitating symptoms the mother claimed had “taken so much away” from her family. The page was updated in mid-September upon advice Ms Diarte-Carr had just three months to live and that treatments would “no longer help”. The mother added to the GoFundMe page how the excess funds would be allocated, writing, “For anyone’s concern, all the funds that have exceeded my funeral costs goal will be now put into a trust fund for my babies that way I can leave behind something for them and I can still ensure they are going to be ok as they grow up." On October 4th, the mother thanked donors and announced she and her family were able to take one final trip together hoping to leave her kids with “memories that’ll last a lifetime”. Just days later, Erika's cousin shared a post to social media to announce that Erika had passed away on October 12th. “It is with a heavy heart that this is the final update I will be giving for my cousin Erika,” she wrote on Facebook. “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 all of your support and love and prayers.” Image credits: GoFundMe

Caring

Fresh claims about Queen Elizabeth's health in her final days

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has shared a sad claim about Queen Elizabeth and her secret health battle that she was going through before her death in 2022. Johnson reflected on his relationship with the former monarch in his upcoming memoir, Unleashed, detailing his final meeting with the Queen at Balmoral Castle just days before she died. In the book, he explained that the Queen had been battling bone cancer and was worried about the deterioration of her condition. “I had known for a year or more that she had a form of bone cancer, and her doctors were worried that at any time she could enter a sharp decline,” Johnson wrote in an excerpt obtained by the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13901877/BORIS-JOHNSON-meeting-Queen-inspirational-words-wisdom.html">Daily Mail</a>. Before their meeting, Johnson claimed the Queen’s private secretary, Edward Young, warned him that her health had “gone down quite a bit over the summer.” “She seemed pale and more stooped, and she had dark bruising on her hands and wrists, probably from drips or injections,” Johnson wrote. He continued, “But her mind – as Edward had also said – was completely unimpaired by her illness, and from time to time in our conversation she still flashed that great white smile in its sudden mood-lifting beauty.” Queen Elizabeth died just two days after their final meeting. According to Johnson, the Queen “had known all summer that she was going, but was determined to hang on and do her last duty” by overseeing the “peaceful and orderly transition” of power from him to his successor Liz Truss. Johnson isn’t the first person to have claimed the late monarch was diagnosed with cancer during her final years, as royal author Gyles Brandreth wrote about rumours Her Majesty had a rare form of myeloma, a bone marrow cancer, in his book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait. He explained that the diagnosis “would explain her tiredness and weight loss and those ‘mobility issues’ we were often told about during the last year or so of her life.” However, the Queen’s official cause of death was listed as “old age” and the palace has never disclosed any other medical records. Image credits: Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/UPI/Shutterstock Editorial

Caring

"This is horrific": Queen icon calls out convincing scam

Brian May has spoken out after becoming the target of a dangerous scam, urging people to be careful online. The guitarist of iconic rock band Queen was made aware of the scam by a fan, who sent him the TikTok of what seems to be May himself offering concert tickets at a discount. The video, which is actually AI-generated and has nothing to do with May or with Queen, shows the rockstar offering music fans the chance to see a concert from backstage. “I hope you’re all well out there,” says the fake Brian May in the video. “Some good news. Backstage tickets for my next show in your cities are now going for only $800, which were previously $2000. I’m only selecting 10 people in the comments, so if you’re ready to make payment, comment, ‘ready’.” May responded to the post publicly, sharing his horror and anger with fans over the “creepy” video, saying, “My God. This is horrific.” “I suppose this is now so easy to do – and there are always people who will sink to any depths to try to make a quick buck. Disgusting.” He continued, “Thanks for the alert dear (TikTok username) stereojazz. I’ve alerted our team and hopefully we can squash this.” Fans were quick to comment that they had almost been fooled by the convincing video. “That they abuse your beautiful personality for this scam hurts even more and is really scary. I hate it,” commented one. “It is insanely terrifying what AI can do these days,” wrote another. Image credits: TikTok

Legal

"Laughably bad": New sculpture of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip divides opinion

A newly unveiled bronze sculpture of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip has received somewhat mixed reviews from the public, with many criticising the piece for looking "nothing like" them. The artwork was unveiled at Antrim Castle Gardens in Northern Ireland on Friday, and was commissioned by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, which said the piece “captures Her Majesty in a dignified pose, reflecting her grace, steadfastness and lifelong dedication to public service”. It also depicts two of her famous corgis at her feet and her husband, Philip standing behind her with his hands behind his back. While the local council told CNN that the bronze statue of the Queen "has been warmly received by most who have seen it in person," many have ridiculed the statue for looking nothing like them. One user wrote on X that it was "laughably bad", adding: "It doesn't even look an iota like her, does it? Am I blind, or is that just nothing like the Queen? Surely they pay a fortune for these commissioned pieces - is there no requirement that there actually be a likeness?" <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> It doesn't even look an iota like her, does it? Am I blind, or is that just nothing like the Queen? Surely they pay a fortune for these commissioned pieces - is there no requirement that there actually be a likeness? Why is everything so shit, now? — Dr Dani Sulikowski (@DrDaniS) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrDaniS/status/1832347891433927015?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2024</a></blockquote> Another user on X wrote: “It is awful...It looks nothing like the Queen or the Prince.. Terrible..Dreadful..Melt it down and start again”. One person commented on the council's announcement of the artwork that while it was "beautiful" the statue didn't "look like our late queen or represent how she always dressed". "Even the corgi is confused," another user wrote. “Would you know this was the late Queen if I didn't tell you?" another wrote on X. Following the wave of criticism, the council acknowledged that at "art can sometimes spark diverse opinions" but said that it "was particularly pleased with how the (Elizabeth) sculpture complements its surroundings, standing adjacent to the statue of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and accompanied by two lovingly crafted corgis." Images: Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council

Art

Nicole Kidman confirms heartbreaking family news

Nicole Kidman has confirmed that her mum, Janelle, has passed away. In a brief statement, Nicole's representatives confirmed the death to US news outlets, with the statement reading, “The family is heartbroken and asks for privacy at this time.” The news of her mother's death came as the Aussie actress touched down in Italy for the Venice Film Festival, before she promptly left to join her sister, Antonia, and their extended family in Australia. At the film festival, Nicole was named Best Actress for her work in the new film Babygirl, whose director Halina Reijn accepted on Nicole's behalf while paying tribute to Janelle and her impact on the actress's stellar career. “Today I arrived in Venice to learn shortly thereafter that my beautiful, brave mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, has just passed,” Nicole said, via a statement that was read on stage in Venice by Reijn. “I’m in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her,” Nicole’s statement continued. “She shaped me, she guided me, and she made me. I’m beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina. The collision of art and life is heartbreaking, and my heart is broken.” Nicole has previously spoken about the love and adoration she has for her mother, telling the Sydney Morning Herald in 2020 how grateful she is of her mum's support and sacrifice. “She’s given me the fire to pursue the career I have because I’ve always wanted to please her,” she said. “But she also carved her own path and wanted her daughters to have the same opportunity to carve their own paths." “Mum didn’t necessarily get the career that she wanted, but she was determined that her daughters would have opportunities that were equal. That’s given me my life. And she gave me my life, she and my dad.” Image credits: Allison Voight/Shutterstock Editorial

Caring

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at 30: more important, enjoyable and vital than ever

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-gaunson-265553">Stephen Gaunson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> The lavender painted bus named “Priscilla” continues to pick up new fans while never going out of favour with its legion of original devotees, 30 years after its release. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was shot on location in and around Sydney, Broken Hill, Coober Pedy, Kings Canyon and Alice Springs over six weeks in 1993. Directed by Stephan Elliott, the film screened in the Un Certain Regard section of the May 1994 Cannes Film Festival, winning <a href="https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-885750952/view?sectionId=nla.obj-888737519&searchTerm=priscilla+queen+of+the+desert&partId=nla.obj-885806856#page/n13/mode/1up">critical and popular acclaim</a> for its positive portrayal of LGBTQI+ characters. Awards came, most notably for costume designers Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner who won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for their sparkly, sequin-filled costumes. The film’s cultural brilliance lies in juxtaposing the extreme flamboyance of the costumes and props against the equally extreme rural natural desert landscape. The unexpected revelation for audiences was how perfectly these contrasting elements harmonised. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wGWWeourHUg?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>A smash hit</h2> Less than 12 months since its release, the Film Finance Corporation (FFC) of Australia had the rare success of <a href="https://if.com.au/why-the-adventures-of-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-turned-the-government-a-profit-in-just-12-months/">fully recouping</a> its A$1.67 million investment. Initially hesitant due to Elliott’s disappointing box office return on his debut feature, Frauds (1993), the FFC was convinced after the screenplay gained attention at Cannes. The film exceeded predictions, grossing more than $16 million in Australia. The film was socially and critically embraced as an instant classic. Ask cinema employees from this time and they will all share similar memories of lines of people outside the cinema doors eager to watch and rewatch (and rewatch again) the musical road movie about a pair of drag queens (Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce) and a transgender woman (Terence Stamp) as they set out from Sydney on a bus journey across the Australian outback. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tex3dw3RjGk?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> The casting today seems like more of a sure bet than it did in 1994. Stamp was a British actor of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/12/terence-stamp-i-was-in-my-prime-but-when-the-60s-ended-i-ended-with-it">legendary status</a>, having gained critical accolades in the 1960s in films such as Billy Budd, The Collector and Far from the Madding Crowd. However Stamp was equally a <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-4869258/Terence-Stamp-79-bids-farewell-active-sex-life.html">regular tabloid subject</a> for his high-profile romances with film star Julie Christie and supermodel Jean Shrimpton. Would audiences be willing to go with the idea of this playboy as the trandsgender woman, Bernadette? It is now impossible to consider any actor better able to deliver Terrance Stamps’s deadpan sardonic lines so perfectly: “Don’t ‘Darling’, me, Darling. Look at you. You’ve got a face like a cat’s arse.” Pearce and Weaving also were a risk. Neither were box office marquee stars at the time. Pearce was known as a lovable Mike from the popular television soap opera, Neighbours. Weaving was a critically respected actor known more for his quirky small parts than as a star in his own right. Both were perfect casting, launching them onto Hollywood careers. Pearce as Adam was a remarkable revelation. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p2QiCFAQ-qQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> The chemistry and connection between the three lead actors makes the film truly succeed. Never do their performances seem showboating or forced. Each has their own arc, personality and journey. And when they climb Kings Canyon in full drag regalia at the film’s end there is something moving about what they have been able to accomplish together. A film that begins to be a slight and joyful comedy about drag performers becomes a deeper essay on the importance of lived experience and friendship (or, dare I say, mateship). <h2>More vital than ever</h2> Drag has a <a href="https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/3894/drag-through-decades-film-tv/">long history</a> in mainstream cinema with its own codes and references. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is crucially different by it not being about “straight” men masquerading as women to mask their actual identity. Instead, Elliot’s film rather positively celebrates these characters in drag as their true and authentic selves. This film stood with others as a wave of Australian cinema in the 1990s unashamedly wanting to celebrate an Australia juxtaposing the blokey masculine stereotype. Ocker characters (men and women) appear in this film, but ultimately they are publicly humiliated for their homophobia. Bernadette kneeing in the groin the vicious and vulgar Frank (Kenneth Radley) often receives a big cheer from cinema audiences: “Stop flexing your muscles, you big pile of budgie turd,” Bernadette scorns. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9nc12yOA4jM?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Perhaps the true star of the film were not the actors as much as the iconic 1976 Japanese model Hino Freighter Priscilla bus that became the set for several scenes in the film. Because the bus interior was such a small set, there was no room for the crew with many actually in shot, hiding under clothes and other props. The bus, long thought to be lost, was <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-12/bid-to-restore-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-bus/103699136">rediscovered</a> on a farm in New South Wales in 2019. The bus is currently being restored, with an aim to have it on display at the National Motor Museum in Birdwood, Adelaide Hills, in 2026. Perhaps it will be good timing for shooting the recently announced <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/04/priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-movie-sequel-original-cast-1235890358/">potential sequel</a>. 30 years after its original release The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert seems more important, enjoyable and vital than ever. All aboard, Priscilla. Long may she run. <hr /> RMIT Capitol will be hosting a <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/thecapitol/events/2024/september/the-adventures-of-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert">screening and introductory panel discussion</a> on September 11 with the film’s costume designer Tim Chappel, executive producer Rebel Penfold-Russell, Melbourne Queer Film Festival program director Cerise Howard, historian Kristy Kokegei and Stephen Gaunson.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/235424/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-gaunson-265553">Stephen Gaunson</a>, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Image credits: Metro Goldwyn Mayer This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-adventures-of-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-at-30-more-important-enjoyable-and-vital-than-ever-235424">original article</a>. </div>

Movies

"Ding dong, the witch is dead": Daughter's scathing obituary for late mother

A woman has taken her last chance to call out her "terrorising" mother in a damning obituary. Florence “Flo” Harrelson, 65, died back in February, although her notice of death wasn't published until August 29th by her estranged daughter Christina Novak. The delay in the obituary came as a result of Novak not finding out about her mother's death until months after she passed. Novak noted in the obituary that her mother, a former U.S. Marine who served as a Maine prison guard, died “on Feb. 22, 2024, without family by her side due to burnt bridges and a wake of destruction left in her path.” Her daughter confirmed that Flo had been suffering from cancer but ultimately died of heart failure. She went on to say that it had been 10 years since she spoke to her estranged mother. “Florence did not want an obituary or anyone including family to know she died,” reads the obituary. “That’s because even in death, she wanted those she terrorised to still be living in fear looking over their shoulders. So, this isn’t so much an obituary but more of a public service announcement.” She also shared the obit to Facebook, and punctuated it with a line from The Wizard of Oz, writing, “Ding dong, the witch is dead.” Novak told the <a href="https://www.bangordailynews.com/2024/08/30/central-maine/central-maine-culture/maine-wake-of-destruction-obituary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bangor Daily News</a> she was “giggling to myself” while composing the obit, admitting she originally set out to write a traditional obituary, but kept drifting into sarcasm. Novak even considered listing the ways in which her mother wronged her relatives, before stopping short but saying the reaction to the obituary was “priceless.” Image credits: Facebook

Family & Pets

"My heart is broken": Mariah Carey reveals sad double tragedy

Mariah Carey has revealed a devastating double tragedy, as both her mother and sister passed away on the same day. In a heartbreaking statement to <a href="https://people.com/mariah-carey-mom-patricia-sister-alison-both-died-same-day-exclusive-8701561" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People</a>, the singer announced the deaths of her mum Patricia, 87, and sister Alison, 63, who died over the weekend. Carey's statement read, "My heart is broken that I've lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day." "I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed." "I appreciate everyone's love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time." No cause of death has been revealed for either member of the family. Carey famously had a turbulent relationship with her mother and sister over the years, and was estranged from Alison for three decades before her untimely death. In 2016, Alison, who was a recovering drug addict, made a plea to her famous sister through the Daily Mail to ask for support, saying, "Mariah I love you, I desperately need your help." As well as substance abuse, Alison endured homelessness throughout her life and tested positive for the HIV virus. Mariah opened up about complicated relationships with her mom and sister in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning Of Mariah Carey. "Like many aspects of my life, my journey with my mother has been full of contradictions and competing realities. It's never been only black-and-white — it's been a whole rainbow of emotions," she explained. She said their relationship was a "prickly rope of pride, pain, shame, gratitude, jealousy, admiration, and disappointment", however the book was still dedicated to Patricia. "And to Pat, my mother, who, through it all, I do believe actually did the best she could," the singer penned in the dedication. "I will love you the best I can, always." Image credits: Paul Archuleta/Shutterstock Editorial

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The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at 30: more important, enjoyable and vital than ever

"Ding dong, the witch is dead": Daughter's scathing obituary for late mother

"My heart is broken": Mariah Carey reveals sad double tragedy