Seventeen-year-old performer and cheerleader Emily Gold, a recent contestant on “America’s Got Talent” AGT, tragically died by suicide on September 13, 2024. Gold attended Los Osos High School in California as a senior and recently gained significant notice after her recent performance on the popular NBC talent show with her school dance team. Just weeks before her death, Gold and her team made it through to the AGT quarterfinals with great acclaim from the judges, including Simon Cowell, who gave their performance a complete standing ovation, describing them as “absolutely brilliant.”
Emily Gold’s appearance on AGT was a defining moment in her young life. With her teammates, she impressed the judges and audiences alike, with Cowell comparing the energy and performance of the team to scenes from “High School Musical.” He emphasized how such a performance just showed everything needed: school spirit, friendship, and a lot of talent-all traits held by Emily both on and off the stage.
Regardless of their successes, on August 14, Gold and her team were eliminated in the quarterfinal episode. In a candid interview before the show aired, Gold showed her devotion to the craft as she described how tough it was balancing school with the most intense rehearsals in dance. She talked about the pressure during performances and how the team tries to merge in last-minute corrections: “It’s definitely tough to balance it all, but we make it happen.”.
The news of her passing has sent shockwaves through her community, family, and fanbase. She was on the eastbound 210 Highway in Rancho Cucamonga, California. That is where she was struck by a vehicle. Her death has been ruled a suicide by the San Bernardino Coroner’s Office. The California Highway Patrol said officers responded to the incident, and Gold died of her injuries at the scene.
A GoFundMe has been set up following her passing to support the Gold family with the costs associated with her funeral and more. Created by Jeanette Fierro, in less than a day it has already gained an outpouring of support for Emily’s loved ones. “It is with great sadness we must inform that our Los Osos Grizzly Emily Gold has passed away,” it said. “Let’s rally around the Gold family as a community and surround them with love and support at this devastating time in their life.”
This sad news follows only weeks after her shining moment on America’s Got Talent. Behind the death of Emily, it shows the pressure possibly any youngster goes through in personal life, even those who may come across as leading successful lives. Her family has not issued a formal statement yet, but the community is mourning the loss of a vibrant life taken away way too early.
The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988 for those experiencing suicidal ideation. If you seek help, that first step is toward immediate support during a crisis.
