Amy Carr, a former England youth international footballer whose remarkable courage and unwavering determination inspired countless individuals, passed away on Thursday, March 13, 2026, at the age of 34, in Hertfordshire, England. Her death, following an 11-year battle with a high-grade brain tumor, specifically Astrocytoma WHO Grade 4 IDH1 G395AA Mutation, has prompted an outpouring of heartfelt tributes from the global football community and those touched by her extraordinary resilience.

Born on April 27, 1991, in St Albans, England, and growing up in Hemel Hempstead, Amy Carr established herself as a talented goalkeeper early in her career. She began her youth journey at the Arsenal Centre of Excellence Under-16 Team in 2005, before moving to Chelsea Ladies Football Club in 2006, where she contributed to winning the Centre of Excellence League championships and the Dana Cup. Her club career also included a stint with Reading Football Club in 2008, helping them achieve promotion, and a return to Chelsea Ladies in 2009, where the team secured a second-place finish in the national Reserve League. Carr proudly represented England at youth level, earning 16 caps up to the Under-19 side, and notably played for England at the inaugural Women's Under-17 World Cup in New Zealand in 2008, where the team finished fourth.

Following her time in English youth football, Carr pursued a collegiate career in the United States, playing for the Northern Illinois University (NIU) women's soccer team from 2010 to 2013. During her tenure at NIU, she achieved significant recognition, earning Second Team All-MAC honors in 2012 and becoming the first Huskie women's soccer goalkeeper to receive All-MAC recognition. She concluded her impressive collegiate career with 18 shutouts, ranking second in program history, and 282 saves, placing her fifth all-time for the Huskies. After graduating with a degree in kinesiology, she continued her professional journey, playing for IL Sandviken in Norway.

In 2015, Carr's life took a challenging turn when she was diagnosed with a high-grade brain tumor. The discovery followed a frightening incident at home where she experienced a fainting spell after being startled by a spider, with an MRI scan subsequently revealing a tumor roughly the size of a golf ball. Despite undergoing intensive treatments including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, and facing significant physical challenges that required extensive physiotherapy to regain speech and mobility, she confronted her illness with extraordinary strength.

Even while battling her condition, Amy remained a beacon of hope and an ardent advocate for brain tumor research. In late 2024, she received the devastating news of a recurrence of brain cancer, and by August 2025, her illness was deemed terminal, with a prognosis of six to nine months. Undeterred, in 2024, she completed the Dublin Marathon, a testament to her incredible spirit, raising an impressive £28,718 for Brain Tumour Research. This monumental achievement highlighted her unwavering commitment to helping others and funding vital research.

Throughout her journey, Amy Carr inspired countless individuals with her courage, determination, and positive outlook. Her passing prompted an outpouring of tributes, with Chelsea FC Women, the England women's football team (Lionesses), and Brain Tumour Research publishing heartfelt messages on X (formerly Twitter). A minute's silence was held in her memory before Chelsea's Women's League Cup final and Arsenal's Women's Super League match. In a final act of profound generosity and dedication to the cause, she decided to donate her brain to UCL for research purposes. Her death has prompted a renewed focus on brain tumor awareness and research, with Brain Tumour Research acknowledging her significant contributions. A celebration of her life is scheduled to take place in Hertfordshire, where donations in her memory continue to be accepted to support ongoing research into brain tumors. Her legacy of resilience and dedication to a cause close to her heart will undoubtedly continue to impact many.