The family of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, who was reported dead while aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship on Saturday, says they will remember her as a happy, cheerful, straight-A student with a bright future ahead of her.
Anna, who was set to graduate high school in May, was traveling aboard the ship en route from Miami to the Caribbean when she died. Details about his death have not been revealed.
The ship returned to Miami on Saturday, where the FBI has since opened an investigation into his death.
The family of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, who was reported dead while aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship on Saturday, says they will remember her as a happy, cheerful, straight-A student with a bright future ahead of her.
kepner family
“When he walked into a room, he lit it up,” his family told ABC News. “If you were sad, she would make you laugh. She would joke and be the funniest little person in school.”
Carnival Cruise Line confirmed his death in a statement, saying, “Our goal is to support our guest’s family and cooperate with the FBI.”
Her family says they are still coming to terms with the loss of a young woman full of dreams and enthusiasm for her future.
“She had just finished taking the exam to join the army,” they said. “She was already talking to recruiters and had chosen her career path. She wanted to do something that would help her community.”
The family hopes Anna will be remembered for her generosity and spirit. She was deeply involved in her community, volunteering in her grandparents’ 55+ neighborhood and helping out at local businesses in her hometown of Titusville, Florida.
“She was a people person,” her family said. “She loved being around people. She had that kind of energy that drew you in with her smile and the way she carried herself. She was a very easy person to talk to.”
The family of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, who was reported dead while aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship on Saturday, says they will remember her as a happy, cheerful, straight-A student with a bright future ahead of her.
kepner family
Her family finds comfort in knowing that Anna lived her 18 years to the fullest. She was an athlete who started gymnastics at the age of two and later joined her high school’s cheerleading team. She loved being around the water, earning her boating license and scuba certification, and enjoyed shopping, doing makeup, and spending time with friends.
Anna was especially close to her grandmother, her family said, who affectionately called her “Anna Banana.”
“She was the best girl you would ever know,” her family said. “We will always remember her for who she was.”
