SCRANTON, Pa. — When we first met Lexi back in July of 2018, it was eight months after her brain cancer diagnosis.
The 21-year-old wasn't wallowing in the bad news; she was living life to the fullest.
"She got a little extra time with everything. She planned stuff and that's what she looked forward to and it was always, 'Let's go do this, let's do this. Let's go see Taylor, let's go on vacation, let's just do everything together,'" said her best friend Lexie Ditchkus.
In 2018, Ditchkus surprised her with tickets to see Taylor Swift.
What wasn't planned was a tweet seen by Meghan McCain that gave Lexi the opportunity to meet her idol.
Lexi's time in the public eye was just beginning.
She later appeared on ABC's "The View" to speak about her highly aggressive form of cancer, called glioblastoma.
"Lex was always the life of the party, whether by choice or by not. So, to watch her come home from the hospital but still need to be, you know, ever the standup comedian, ever the entertainer, ever the hostess, really ever the slice of source of strength for all of us, it was powerful to watch," said Lexi's brother Ryan Caviston.
Last month, Lexi married her longtime love Josh Ashmar.
In a Facebook post, he shared that Lexi lost her battle Tuesday afternoon, surrounded by family.
"I distinctly remember one of the final things she vocalized was, 'I'm not afraid.' And it's funny because I think when she was first diagnosed, almost two and a half years ago, over two and a half years ago now, that was one of the first things she said was, 'I'm not afraid.' So, it was kind of full circle. And it brought so much meaning and hope and joy and courage for us to hear her say that," continued Ryan.
Lexi's story didn't just touch the lives of those around her. She reached people all over the world. Lexi's family says Meghan McCain kept in touch since their first meeting.
On Thursday's episode of The View, Meghan shared the news of Lexi's passing with their viewers.
"Just to know that the impact she had on the world like she's never going to be forgotten that she left behind a legacy that is beautiful, strong, encouraging and just a source of strength for others so she really truly left a huge mark on the world, even though she was here for 23 short years," said Lexi's sister-in-law Morgan Caviston.
Lexi Caviston-Ashmar will be laid to rest on Saturday, and it will be live-streamed on the St. John Neumann's Parish Facebook page for those who can't attend.