Model leaves people baffled after walking down runway at open-casket funeral

A model has shared footage of her strutting her stuff at an open-cask funeral.

Yup, we're not joking. New Jersey model Erica L Carrington took to the red carpet runway at a funeral on 10 November.

If someone stole the limelight at my funeral, let's just say I'd be crawling out of the grave to take it back - either that, or I'd haunt them forever - however, it makes a lot more sense once you realise who's funeral Carrington was at.

Prepare yourself for something you definitely don't see everyday:

A runway at a funeral? Well, it all makes much more sense given Carrington attended the funeral of fashion designer Vernest Moore.

Carrington shared a video - taken by LaTanya Green-Chan - of her sashaying away to 'You Are My Friend (B.O.P. Soul Classic Mix)' to her Instagram.

The caption reads: "I was hyperventilating almost up until the VERY MOMENT I hit the runway. To say that this was one of THEE MOST CHALLENGING things I have had to do would be an understatement.

"I CAN’T BELIEVE this would be my final walk for you, so I WON’T! From now on…even if I’m not walking FOR YOU, I’ll be walking WITH YOU, because I know you’ll ALWAYS be with me."

Instagram/@mrs_am_erica

And the video has left some social media users pretty bamboozled.

An Instagram user said: "Wait. Wait. Wait again I say wait. Was this a real funeral. Seriously was it. Or part of the show?"

"How u end up making the the funeral about you???" a second said.

However, some loved the runway tribute, with one user writing: "I pray that when it’s my time… all my creative friends like yourself arrive with this type of energy. To be paid homage in the way we lived! This is beautiful and it gave me chills. RIP to your friend. Love u Erica."

Another admitted: "My first thought was “way to make it about yourself”. I didn’t even realize it was a funeral at first. But learning he was a fashion designer, this is actually pretty epic."

Instagram/ @ve.moore

Carrington defended the move in an interview with TMZ, saying Vernest discussed the idea 'really early on' with a friend of his.

"He actually planned the three-day celebration, which is what we like to call it. So there was discussion about how he wanted each day to be," she adds.

Carrington resolved Vernest got the send off 'he would have liked' and 'that's all that matters'.

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677

Topics: Fashion, Health, Instagram, Social Media, US News, Viral

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.