Brazilian model Mariana Bridi da Costa is Fighting for Her Life After Multiple Amputations Due to Septicemia

UPDATE

Model passes away from necrosis, or the fast deadening of tissue, caused by septicemia. Septicemia, triggered by a bacterial infection, causes insufficient blood flow that can lead to organ failure.

Brazilian model Mariana Bridi da Costa is fighting for her life in a major way. My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family. Her hands and feet amputated and her family has urged her supporters around the world to keep praying for their daughter. She is reportedly in serious condition after undergoing multiple amputations. A blog created to provide updates on Mariana Bridi da Costa's condition says the model's stomach had to be removed during the last surgery due to internal bleeding.

Bridi fell ill on December 30 and was initially misdiagnosed with kidney stones. When her condition worsened she returned to hospital where doctors determined she was suffering from a severe urinary tract infection. By then, Bridi was also suffering from septicemia, a blood infection that limited the supply of oxygen to her extremities.

The condition forced doctors to amputate first her hands and then her feet.
Her father, Agnaldo da Costa, is said to have told Folha de S Paulo newspaper that "the concern is over her life." The executive director of Miss World Brazil, Henrique Fontes, issued a call for blood donors. According to the blogsite, Bridi has a rare negative blood type. By Tuesday, it said more than 100 people had donated blood in her name.

In 2007 and 2008, Bridi came fourth in the quest to find Miss World Brazil, representing first the coastal town of Guarapari and then the town of Sergipe. She also came fourth in the Face of the Universe competition held in South Africa in 2007. And last year she won the award for the best body in the Miss Bikini International competition held in China. Source: CNN News

This is, indeed, a sad turn of events for this young lady. The outpouring of sympathy and support is unprecedented. According to media reports, as news of her condition spread the volume of traffic to the Web site had caused it to crash, and that the site had received more than 15,000 hits in two days. Adversity is the greatest teacher in life. You cannot imagine how many people really care. Again, my thoughts and prayers go out to this young woman and her family.