Passenger who died on Carnival cruise ship identified as 18-year-old, family says
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, bubbly, straight-A student with a bright future ahead.
Anna, who was set to graduate from high school in May, was traveling aboard the ship on a route from Miami to the Caribbean when she died. Details surrounding her death have not been released.
The ship returned to Miami on Saturday, where the FBI has since opened an investigation into her death.
“When she walked into a room, she would light it up,” her family told ABC News. “If you were sad, she’d make you laugh. She would joke around and be the funniest little person in school.”
Carnival Cruise Line confirmed her passing in a statement, saying, “Our focus is on supporting the family of our guest and cooperating with the FBI.”
Her family says they are still coming to terms with the loss of a young woman filled with dreams and excitement for her future.
“She had just finished taking the test to join the military,” 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 type of energy that just drew you in with her smile and the way she carried herself. She was such an easy person to talk to.”
Her relatives find comfort in knowing Anna lived her 18 years to the fullest. She was an athlete who began gymnastics at the age of two and later joined her high school’s varsity cheerleading team. She loved being near the water, earning her boater’s license and scuba certification, and enjoyed shopping, 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 child you could ever meet,” her family said. “We'll always remember her for who she was.”
