A fitness and stay-at-home mom content creator who shared her workouts, home life and parenting journey with a large online audience has died, just three months after telling followers she had been diagnosed with cancer.
Carly Douglas, who was based in the Greer, South Carolina area, had built a devoted following on Instagram through posts about fitness, organization, motherhood and raising her three children. In March, she revealed that doctors had diagnosed her with stage 4 gastric cancer after an emergency room visit and a series of tests showed a large bleeding tumour in her stomach. Her death came on June 13 and was later confirmed in a heartfelt message posted to her account on June 16.
The announcement began with a tribute from her loved ones.
“On June 13, 2026, Carly Faye Douglas stepped into complete glory, in her final resting place,”
The same message said she had met
“her Maker and Savior face to face.”
She is survived by her husband, David, and their children, River, Faye and Townes.
Douglas first opened up about her illness in a tearful video posted in late March, explaining that she had been diagnosed after seeking treatment for severe abdominal pain and bloating. She said doctors initially believed she may have had a bowel obstruction before scans revealed stage 4 gastric cancer. In that update, she spoke candidly about how devastating the diagnosis had been, especially as a mother of three young children.
“living in a nightmare,”
While speaking from hospital in a gown, she also reflected on the emotional toll of her diagnosis but said she still felt a deep sense of calm and resolve.
“I think I’ve walked through every stage of grief possible, but one thing that has never left is just this overwhelming sense of peace that I’m going to be okay and that I’m going to fight,”
“I have to fight for my kids and for so many people I love.”
In the weeks that followed, Douglas continued to keep supporters updated, sharing parts of her chemotherapy journey, hospital stays and the physical toll of treatment. She also thanked the people supporting her family as she focused on trying to get through the hardest stretch of her life.
The post announcing her death highlighted the strength she showed during her illness, saying she
“fought cancer with grit and determination”
and remained
“full of hope.”
Her family also remembered her as
“joy personified, pure sunshine,”
adding:
“it felt as though her smile was permanently stitched on her face.”
The tribute also reflected on her marriage, saying David was
“her best friend, her person, the man she could not wait to see walk through the door every evening,”
and describing their shared life as one where
“love was deep and wide.”
In closing, her family said the loss she leaves behind is immeasurable. They wrote about the
“Carly sized hole”
in their lives, but said they do not grieve
“without hope,”
adding that they believe she is now
“whole, complete”
and finally at peace.