Hundreds of family members, friends, medical professionals and musicians gathered Sunday at the Wyndham Hotel to celebrate the life of Carrigan Nelson, a 24-year-old Portsmouth woman who became a nationally recognized childhood cancer advocate during her seven-year battle with osteosarcoma.
Nelson passed away on Christmas Day at Boston Children’s Hospital surrounded by loved ones and her medical team.
The celebration of life, hosted by former Miss Rhode Island Molly Andrade, featured tributes from those closest to Nelson, including her oncologist Dr. Katie Janeway and nurse practitioner Sarah Sallen from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund Clinic. The medical professionals shared how Nelson left a lasting impression on everyone she encountered at the hospital, including making a bracelet for a medical student on her first day to help her feel welcomed.
“She made everyone feel special,” they said. “Everywhere she went she wanted to cheer someone up even though she was going through the toughest of times.”
Nelson’s brother, Sawyer Nelson, delivered the eulogy, describing his sister as someone who always sought out people who felt invisible and made them feel seen.
“Carrigan showed us that no matter what you’re facing, there is always room to care for others,” he said. “She showed us how to live fully, love deeply, and choose compassion—again and again—even when life is unfair.”
He recalled how, during her final hospital admission while struggling to breathe with an oxygen mask, his sister took out her laptop and began working on care packages for other young cancer patients through Strong Little Souls, a nonprofit run by her best friend Madison Quinn.
“That was Carrigan,” Sawyer Nelson said. “Helping others wasn’t something she did when it was easy or convenient. It was who she was, all the way to the very end.”
Other speakers included Nancy Goodman of Kids vs Cancer, Ann Graham of Make It Better Agents, Nelson’s life partner Aidan McDonald, and best friends Hannah Nasser and Madison Quinn. Prayers were offered by Miss Pauline Perkins-Moye and Dr. Rev. Natalia deRezendes.
Born on Feb. 8, 2001, Nelson was the daughter of Paul and Tammy Nelson. She was educated in Portsmouth schools and later homeschooled, attending the Community College of Rhode Island during her cancer treatment and graduating from the MMVS Career Mastermind Program for Contemporary Recording Artists in New York City in 2019.
Her early years were filled with music, dance and martial arts. She studied music theory, voice and piano at Bristol Music Academy and trained for over a decade at local dance studios. A dedicated taekwondo practitioner, she earned her black belt at Mardo’s Taekwondo Academy and became an eight-time gold medalist and state champion.
A gifted mezzo-soprano, Nelson won Beach Idol in 2015 and was named the 2019 Celebration of Music Producer’s Choice Winner. She performed at Riverstock Music Festivals, the Strong Little Souls Gala, Cure Fest and MIB Agents Osteosarcoma FACTOR conferences. In 2020, she sang the national anthem for the Boston Red Sox Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon.
Music became her sanctuary as her cancer progressed. She often performed for young patients during their treatments, transforming their fear into hope. Even as tumors compressed her lungs, she adjusted her vocal techniques and continued singing with unwavering determination alongside her longtime musical partner Steve Rodrigues.
The service featured recordings of her performances accompanied live by Rodrigues and friends, including songs such as “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “Jolene,” “Dreams” and “Hallelujah.” The event concluded with a benefit concert featuring The Larry Brown Orchestra, Steven Rodrigues and 3 Legged Dog, and Jimmy Winters with Beth Baron, including a performance of “Tallest Mountain,” a song co-written by Carrigan and her mother.
Nelson won Miss Congeniality three times and held titles including ARB’s Miss Aquidneck Island, Newport NAACP Role Model of the Year in 2019, Newport Daily News Youth Leader Award recipient in 2020, Rhode Island’s Honorary Miss Outstanding Teen in 2020, and RI Communities Choice Awards Person of the Year in 2025. In recognition of her courage and impact, Portsmouth and the Rhode Island General Assembly declared Feb. 8 as Carrigan Nelson Day and Cancer Warrior Day.
She used her platform to lobby for increased childhood cancer research funding in Washington, D.C., and educate others about the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer. She participated in clinical trials including the Osteosarcoma Project and made a final gift by donating her tumors and tissue to advance medical research.
Nelson also found joy in road trips with her family in their camper, exploring nearly all 50 states and dozens of national parks. She and her mother created countless works of art together, hoping to start a business with proceeds supporting childhood cancer causes. Her mother plans to continue that endeavor in her memory.
Andrade closed the celebration by encouraging attendees to “live like Carrigan did.”
Nelson’s family noted she wanted the world to know she did not lose her battle with cancer — she stayed true to herself and never gave up or gave in.
Several memorial scholarships have been established in Nelson’s memory, including the Carrigan Nelson Humanitarian Scholarship through the Miss Rhode Island Scholarship Organization, the Strong Little Scholarship through Strong Little Souls Childhood Cancer Foundation, the Carrigan Nelson Memorial Scholarship through the Aquidneck Island Charity Golf Tournament, and blood donation drives through the Rhode Island Blood Center.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages acts of compassion or donations to causes Nelson championed. For more information on scholarships and donation opportunities, visit carrigan-nelson.my.canva.site.
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