Everett died on Easter Sunday after a battle with an aggressive cancer.
Tammy Jones and Donna Corbett, who guided Everett through her pageant career while she lived in North Carolina, said her loss is deeply personal. Everett lived with Corbett during part of her time in the Triangle.
"She had so much more to live for. But when we equate that with what she accomplished in 22 short years, it's more than many may do in a lifetime," said Jones.
Corbett recalled Everett filling her home with music. "Throughout the house, I'd get up in the morning, she's singing. Late at night, she's singing. And singing words of joy and happiness."
Everett died in a Seattle-area hospital surrounded by family. She had been battling signet ring cell carcinoma, an aggressive and rare form of stomach cancer.
"Carrie came and earned the earthly crown when she won her pageants. But what better way to depart than to receive your heavenly crown on Resurrection Sunday," Jones said. "And to that, we say to God be the glory for allowing us to be a part of this beautiful, beautiful vessel's life."
Corbett said Everett was determined throughout her illness to live as best as she could.
"She really believed in her heart that she could beat this," said Corbett. "We were cheering that she could beat this. But she just continued on. She was determined. She was a powerhouse."
Jones said she will never forget Everett's sense of purpose.
"(Carrie) said, 'You're part of my assignment.' And that resonated, and I'll never forget it," she said.
UNC oncologist Dr. Ashwin Somasundaram said cases such as Everett's remain rare but noted that doctors are seeing more gastrointestinal cancers in younger patients.
"The reality for most cases, honestly, is that there is a huge component of bad luck when it comes to this," he said. "But you know, we still want to be mindful that younger folks are having increased rates of getting these GI cancers."
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He added that advances in medical technology could help detect such cancers earlier.
"We really kind of want to see the future of cancer and medical technology going is being able to identify these patients while they're still in the window where we can cure them," he said.
"She was our forever queen. And not just the crown, but the royalty and the love and the kindness was in our heart. And that's what we want people to remember," added Corbett.
Everett's family is working on plans to honor her in North Carolina, with details to be announced.