We interrupt all the happy stories surrounding Beyonce and her pregnancy to bring you a sad piece of news having to do with the singer.
Ebony Banks, the high school student who made news last week for FaceTiming with Beyonce while battling stage four cancer, has passed away from the disease.
In a short conversation that made its way on to Twitter (below), the singer told Banks that she loved her, while a clearly emotional Banks responded in kind.
Ebony – who attended Alief Hastings High School in Houston, Texas – had tragically spent a majority of her senior year at MD Anderson Cancer Center, fighting a rare type of cancer, according to local affiliate KIAH.
Earlier this month, the school district held a special early graduation ceremony for Banks on March 16.
As a unique gift, her friends and classmates created the hashtag #EBOBMEETSBEYONCE on social media to try and make one of the patient’s biggest dreams come true.
“Beyonce is one of her idols. She admires her so much, so we’re trying to put that on Twitter and Instagram to get Beyonce’s attention,” sophomore Karina Gutierrez told local KTRK-TV of the mission.
Word spread to Beyonce and the following call took place last Wednesday:
Beyoncé facetiming with Ebony, a fan with a rare cancer disease whose last wish was to see Beyoncé. ❤️️💙 pic.twitter.com/pCkGzF4feZ
— BEYONCÉ LEGION (@Bey_Legion) March 22, 2017
Four days later, however, Banks passed away.
According to Click2Houston, family and friends of the teenager gathered for a candlelight vigil in her memory on Sunday evening.
“Thank you to everyone who helped #ebobmeetsbeyonce @Beyonce,” Banks’ school Tweeted along with a screenshot from the pair’s call session last week.
The school also shared a photo of Banks from her graduation, as she became the first member of her class to earn her diploma:
Prior to talking with Beyonce on the phone, Banks told local station KHOU the following of the artist:
“She’s like my everything and my idol. And if I ever met her, I would probably pass out.”
The late student had been accepted to college, according to Us Weekly, and was hoping to become a pediatric nurse so that she could assist other young people who were fighting cancer.
Alas, she will never get that opportunity now.
But at least she got to enjoy the experience of a lifetime prior to leaving this Earth.
May Ebony Banks rest in peace.
