Fitness Influencer Carly Douglas Dies Just 3 Months After Cancer Diagnosis

Three months. That’s how long fitness influencer Carly Douglas had between announcing her stage IV gastric cancer diagnosis and passing away on June 13, 2026, at just 36 years old.

In March, Douglas shared an emotional video revealing the shock of her diagnosis. What started as a trip to the ER for severe abdominal pain and distension led to a CT scan that changed everything—a large, cancerous tumor on her stomach, confirmed by endoscopy. Stage IV. The kind of diagnosis that stops time.

But here’s what her family emphasized in their tribute: Carly didn’t spend those three months asking“why me?”or disappearing from the people she loved. Instead, she fought with what they called grit and determination, all while maintaining a faith that kept pointing everyone around her back to God. That’s a particular kind of strength—not the Instagram fitness influencer kind of strong (though she had plenty of that), but the deeper, quieter kind that shows up when everything is stripped away.

She leaves behind her husband, David, and their three children—River, Faye, and Townes—along with what her family described as a Carly-sized hole that will never be filled. In her final months, she savored every moment with her kids, soaking up giggles and hugs until the very end. That’s not a metaphor from her family; that’s how they chose to remember her.

Stage IV gastric cancer is brutal, and the timeline here is a stark reminder of just how aggressive it can be. But Carly’s story isn’t just about the illness—it’s about how she chose to live in the time she had left, and what she left behind in the hearts of those closest to her.