Candlelight vigil held in honor of Kadance former Miss Okaloosa County Teen USA
OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – A small Panhandle community says goodbye to a young woman struck down in the prime of her life.
Okaloosa County residents gathered on Wednesday night at the Baker High School football field for a candlelight vigil in honor of 18-year-old Kadance Fredericksen.
Kadance was killed Monday afternoon in Santa Rosa County in a head-on traffic crash.
She was a former Miss Okaloosa County Teen USA and the Founder of 'Kada's Promise'. Family members, plan to continue 'Kada's Promise' in her honor.
Parents of two teens injured by drunk driver in Panama City Beach file lawsuit
The charity donated more than 12,000 teddy bears and blankets to children in need.
Kadance had already received nine college acceptances and had plans to become a veterinarian.
During Wednesday's vigil, friends and family shared their fondest memories of her.
'That this many people came together because they love her and they want to honor the legacy that she's leaving. I think it's important to focus on her legacy and Kata's promise and how uplifting she was to everybody and how she serves as a beacon of hope and light for not just young women, but young people across the world,' one vigil attendee said.
A celebration of Kadance's life will be held on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. inside the multi-purpose room of Baker School.
Organizers are expecting as many as a thousand people to attend.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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