A 24-year-old singer who once made four coaches spin their chairs and later moved them to tears is gone, and the community he called home is still struggling to make sense of it.Dylan Carter had worn many hats by the time he was 24. The South Carolina native was a “The Voice” alum, a nonprofit co-founder, a realtor, and a beloved fixture of his local music scene.When news of his death broke on social media Sunday afternoon, the grief came fast and from every direction. The tributes that followed painted a picture of someone whose impact ran far deeper than a single television appearance.Dylan was not just another face in the crowd when he stepped onto the big stage for Season 24. A native of St. George, he had actually auditioned for NBC’s “The Voice” three times before finally getting his big break.

His persistence paid off in a massive way when he performed a soul-stirring rendition of “I Look to You” by Whitney Houston. The performance was a deeply personal tribute to his mother, who had passed away only a year earlier.”My mom, she, anytime that song came on the radio, or she would play it, she would stop everything and say, ‘Dylan this is the song I want you to sing at my funeral,’ and that day came a little too soon,” Carter shared in a 2023 interview.He had tried to sing it at her funeral but was too emotional to finish it. On the national stage, he finally powered through, earning a rare four-chair turn from the superstar coaches.When it came time to choose a team, Carter didn’t hesitate. Reba McEntire had shared something personal about her own mother during the audition — and that sealed it.Reba had that last thing to say to me about her mom, and it just hit me, I had to go with Reba,” he said. The mentorship that followed left a lasting mark.