Texas Teen Ebony Banks, Who Was Battling Cancer, Dies 4 Days After Meeting Beyoncé

Ebony Banks, a Texas teenager who was fighting stage 4 cancer, died Sunday, just four days after being able to meet with her idol, superstar Beyoncé Knowles. Suggested Reading Why Timothée Chalamet, Druski’s Latest Internet Shenanigans Has Some Black Folks Inviting Him to the Cookout How to Show Up For Someone Who Is Grieving This…

Ebony Banks, a Texas teenager who was fighting stage 4 cancer, died Sunday, just four days after being able to meet with her idol, superstar Beyoncé Knowles.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
Morris Chestnut Tells Us What Song Always Gets Him to the Dance Floor and What You Better Not Bring to a Party at His House

Ebony was undergoing treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston when she died, KHOU reports. The Alief Independent School District of Houston released the news of her death Sunday, and a candlelight vigil was held in the teen’s honor at LeRoy Crump Stadium, which is owned by the school district. Video of the vigil showed students singing Beyoncé songs and waving candles.

Ebony was a Beyoncé stan and always dreamed of meeting the star. So her classmates at Alief Hastings High School took it upon themselves to organize through social media—which really can be amazing sometimes—and started the hashtag #EbobMeetsBeyonce, which went viral.

Beyoncé’s attention was drawn to the hashtag, and last Wednesday the singer called Ebony via FaceTime, and the two were able to chat. In a video of the interaction, Ebony can be heard saying, “I love you, Beyoncé,” and Beyoncé responds, “I love you.”

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.