An 18-year-old Florida beauty pageant queen was tragically killed in a car accident involving a tractor-trailer on Monday. Kadance Fredericksen, a former winner of the Miss Okaloosa County Teen USA title, is being celebrated for her many good deeds after overcoming a challenging early life that included homelessness and an abusive family.
According to reports from Florida Highway Patrol, Kadance was driving down Highway 4 when she crashed head-on into a tractor-trailer. The collision is still under investigation, but the truck’s driver has not been arrested. Fredericksen was a beloved of member of her community who is mourning her loss.
Kadance organized multiple philanthropic endeavors, such as Kada’s Promise, a charity that gathered 12,000 teddy bears and blankets to send to children victimized by abuse or trauma. The teenager also used her platform from her successful pageantry to raise $25,000 for the Ronald McDonald House, which provides temporary housing options for families with a child undergoing cancer treatment.
“During many dark times in my early childhood, the only thing that I could call my own or that made me feel safe was a single teddy bear that I received as a gift,” the Kada’s Promise website read. “I carried him with me from house to house, couch to couch and clutched him tightly in the scariest times. It is from these memories that Kada’s Promise was born.”
As a child, Kadance endured a rough upbringing, facing homelessness, hunger, and abuse before being adopted by her father and stepmother after they gained custody over her. She would go on to win numerous beauty pageants, including Little Miss Northwest Florida in 2017, and represented her county at the Miss Florida Teen USA pageant last year.
Fredericksen was a senior at Baker School, expected to graduate this spring. “It is with profound sadness that we mourn the tragic loss of Kadance Fredericksen, an exceptional young woman, senior at Baker School, and founder of ‘Kada’s Promise,'” the school said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to her family, friends, and all those who knew and loved her. We also offer our deepest condolences to the students, staff, faculty, and the entire Baker Community as we come together in grief during this incredibly difficult time.”
The social media post continued, “Kadance was a beacon of light in our community, known for her compassion, tireless advocacy for children in need, and unwavering dedication to making a difference. Through her efforts with Kada’s Promise, she brought hope and comfort to thousands of children experiencing trauma, collecting and distributing over 12,000 teddy bears and blankets to children in need. Her work inspired us all, and her legacy will live on in the countless lives she touched.”
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In her final social media post earlier this month, Kadance celebrated receiving a scholarship. “I am incredibly grateful to be selected as a recipient of this year’s Ellison McCraney Ingram Foundation $40,000 Scholarship,” she wrote. “This generous support will help shape my future and bring me one step closer to achieving my dreams. Thank you to the Ingram family, the foundation, and everyone involved for this amazing honor!”
Featured image credit: Instagram/@kadancedfred