Emily Gold, a 17-year-old cheerleader from America’s Got Talent, has sadly passed away. “It is with such a heavy heart that we share the passing of our beautiful, kind, and loving Emily Gold,” her high school dance team wrote via Instagram on September 16.

A senior and Varsity Dance Captain at Los Osos High School, Gold was described as a leader and role model by her teammates. She and her team recently made it to the quarterfinals of America’s Got Talent before being eliminated, receiving a standing ovation from Judge Simon Cowell, who called their performance “absolutely brilliant.”