Upland, CA - Carter Albert Eichten was beloved by his friends and family. He was incredibly independent and brave, yet thoughtful, funny, and poignant. Carter said YES to any adventure and even as a young boy he blazed his own path - welcoming others to join, but confident to go on his own. For those truly close to Carter, he loved deeply, forgave quickly, overlooked their faults and truly saw their gifts. For those new to Carter, he welcomed them with a smile, always watching, never judging, putting both adults and children at ease.

Carter was born in 2004 to Terrence Mathew and Angela Schuldt Eichten in Clearwater, Florida. Before his first birthday, the family returned to Minneapolis to raise him closer to grandparents Everett and Mary Eichten, and Gary and Christine Schuldt. In early 2008, Carter welcomed his twin brothers, Everett Lee and Henry Norman. By the time he was four, he was reading to them regularly, organizing their play, and generously sharing his time and toys.

Carter and his brothers loved visiting the Eichten Family farm in Lindstrom, MN exploring the barn, the land, and the tractors. Carter loved animals, especially dogs of every temperament and breed. He spent weeks in the summer with his grandparents, Gary and Chris, at Lake Miltona, where he developed his love for campfires, baseball, and the Minnesota Twins.

From a young age, Carter enjoyed playing sports, sports statistics, and sports card collecting. He loved his home teams but appreciated players, coaching and management such that we all expected he would become a sports analyst someday. He and his family and friends attended countless MLB, NCAA, and NBA games—usually using the ticket deals he always managed to find. Carter was quick to invite others along, yet just as happy to go solo, inevitably meeting a new "friend" at the game to trade insights with.

With family in Florida, Carter chose to attend University of South Florida in Tampa after graduating from Washburn Highschool. He enjoyed spending time with his cousins Lisa and Cathy, and traveled to his grandparents Gary and Chris's winter home for holidays and MLB spring training. Carter became more serious about sports‑card trading, beginning to see the business potential and the opportunities opening up to him at just 19. After finishing freshman year, he took his big chance, making a solo cross country move to California in his Honda with his belongings and his mountain bike.

Carter was all‑in on sports cards. He loved talking with kids and families about their favorite players and collections, and he thrived on being the expert—researching, learning, and sharing what he knew. His meticulous tracking and organizing brought him a sense of calm. He learned quickly, worked hard, and had a growing drive to be successful and comfortable. Carter's family visited him in California to see the life he was building, and he returned to Minneapolis often for card shows, family time, and his Dad's cooking.

Carter struggled with anxiety and, later, depression. He sought help many times and did find some support. We believe the mismanagement of depression medications without consistent care contributed to him ending his life. Carter was incredibly brave and we thought he could handle his fast life. Rather than drinking or drugs, Carter sought highs through driving too fast, biking extremely challenging trails, and taking big business risks. Those extremes increased his anxiety and quieted it at the same time.

Please talk to your loved ones about their mental health, ask more questions, and talk about crisis support even when that seems unneeded. If you think someone is in crisis and they are not responding to you, enlist more people to surround them with love and care.