18-year-old beauty queen killed in head-on Florida crash. ‘True light in this world’
An 18-year-old beauty pageant queen who founded a child advocacy program after surviving abuse herself died in a head-on crash in Florida.
“In the pageant world there are a lot of sequins, glitter and sparkles,” Miss Okaloosa County LLC shared. “Kadance Fredericksen did not need those.”
The 18-year-old was driving on State Road 4 in Santa Rosa County on Monday, Feb. 17, when she crossed the center line for “unknown reasons” and ran head-on into a semi hauling wood chips, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The tractor-trailer flipped, and the young woman died at the scene, troopers said.
Lisa Fredericksen told People magazine her daughter was only three minutes away from home.
“She had the whole world right there in her hands, and she was ready to take it on,” her mom told People.
The 18-year-old was a senior at Baker School and had just received a $40,000 scholarship for college.
“Kadance was a beacon of light in our community, known for her compassion, tireless advocacy for children in need, and unwavering dedication to making a difference,” her school wrote in a message to the community.
Fredericksen founded Kada’s Promise, a program to distribute teddy bears and blankets to children dealing with homelessness, neglect or abuse, which Fredericksen survived herself.
She described an abusive childhood of hunger and grooming until she was removed from her mother’s home by her biological father and stepmother, Lisa. She said her source of comfort in the turmoil was a teddy bear, which inspired her to create her organization.
Fredericksen was also an Okaloosa County Teen USA pageant queen and delegate for Miss Florida USA, which described her as a “beautiful soul” who was a “true light in this world.”
“She was full of effervescence, her smile was contagious and her heartfelt care for others shined like a light in the darkness,” Miss Okaloosa County LLC shared.
Using her platform in the pageantry world, Fredericksen raised over $25,000 for the Ronald McDonald house and had hopes to take her organization nationwide, according to the Kada’s Promise website.
Those who knew Fredericksen remember her as a role model and aspiring veterinarian with a big heart. Her family has received an outpouring of support from the many people Fredericksen met through her pagentry and advocacy work.
“I thank God for all the memories we’ve had the chance to make together,” one friend wrote in an Instagram tribute. “From crying and laughing so hard in hotel rooms to talking about our days over text or phone calls. You had just texted me happy birthday yesterday. I never thought that would be the start to our last conversation.”
Baker is in Okaloosa County, part of the Florida Panhandle.
This story was originally published February 20, 2025 at 2:29 PM with the headline "18-year-old beauty queen killed in head-on Florida crash. ‘True light in this world’."