Former Miss American Fork Brynn Carnesecca Dies at 21

Brynn Carnesecca was crowned Miss American Fork in 2024 and received the Miss Congeniality Award from fellow contestants at the Miss Utah competition last year.

Rudy Blalock

Published: 7/31/2026, 11:53:35 PM EDT

Former Miss American Fork Brynn Carnesecca Dies at 21 — People walk into the emergency room at a hospital in Tucson, Ariz., on Nov. 5, 2019. (Sebastien Vuagnat/AFP via Getty Images)

Brynn Carnesecca, who held the title of Miss American Fork 2024 and worked as a journalist across several Utah publications, died by suicide on Sunday, according to her mother, Michele Carnesecca. She was 21.

Michele told local outlet KSL she wants her daughter remembered for "the amazing life she lived," adding, "She took her own precious life, but she is more than what happened to her. We would like to celebrate the amazing life she lived.”

A candlelight vigil honoring Brynn took place Tuesday evening at American Fork Amphitheater.

The current Miss American Fork titleholder wrote in an Instagram tribute that Brynn "left the biggest shoes to fill for every Miss American Fork who comes after," and recalled conversations about the pair possibly competing together at Miss Utah. The current titleholder added, "Thank you for every beautiful article you wrote about me, for showing up to support me, for cheering me on, and for making me feel seen.”

The Utah Miss Amazing organization, where Brynn served as a volunteer "buddy," said in its own Instagram statement that her "kindness, compassion, and genuine heart made a lasting impact on everyone she met.”

Pageant Legacy, Service Work

Brynn was crowned Miss American Fork in 2024 and received the Miss Congeniality Award from fellow contestants at the Miss Utah competition last year.

The Miss Utah Scholarship Organization stated in a post on Facebook that Brynn "brought so much light to the Miss Utah and Miss American Fork programs," and that "her kindness, service, and friendship touched countless people across the state.”

Michele said her daughter's life "was all about service," noting that Brynn founded Envelopes of Hope, a program connecting community members with incarcerated individuals in Utah, as a service initiative during her run for Miss Utah.

Brynn told KSTU last September that the program aimed to build empathy between people "in the free world" and those in prison, saying, "I've seen so many lives change and how much empathy and connection can be built through these letters. As we reach out through this program, our worldview expands, and I've seen some amazing friendships take shape.”

According to KSL, Brynn interned at the outlet during the summer of 2025 and was also published by the American Fork Citizen, the Lehi Free Press, and Brigham Young University's Daily Universe, in addition to internships at Utah Valley Magazine and Good Things Utah.

Fundraising Support

A GoFundMe campaign titled "Support Brynn Carnesecca's Memorial" describes her as "an accomplished pianist, journalist, and the creator of Envelopes of Hope.”

The campaign, organized by a cousin on behalf of beneficiary Michele, is intended to cover funeral expenses and memorial costs. At the time of publication, it has raised more than $29,000 toward a $40,000 goal.