La tragedia de Mariana Bridi da Costa - News on Mariana Bridi da Costa video clips (Thank you and credits to videostvperuana Channel)
Vitória, BRAZIL — In 2006, when Mariana Bridi Costa was only 18, Mariana Bridi competed for the first time in the Miss World Brazil pageant. With little money and a basic wardrobe, she traveled for over 24 hours on a bus to get from the small town of Marechal Deodoro to Curitiba, where the pageant was held.
Her natural beauty and energy, took her further than most people gave her credit for: Mariana was the 3rd runner-up, living several favorites behind.
A couple of months later, she was sent to Accra, Ghana, where she competed for the new Face of the Universe title. She was the 3rd runner-up overall and first among the contestants from the Americas.
It didn't take long for this young beauty to be noticed, and soon came an invitation from the state director of Sergipe, Alexandre Araujo: she would return to Miss World Brazil, that time with full sponsorship and proper preparation.
The "new" Mariana didn't disappoint her fans: she was again a finalist at Miss World Brazil and won the Miss World Northeast 2007 title. Invited to compete in Miss Bikini International, in Shanghai, Bridi won the "Best in Swimsuit" award, and finished the competition in 6th place, competing with more than 50 girls from around the world.
Recently Mariana received a proposal to work as a model in a big agency in São Paulo. When she was about to move to Brazil's largest city, a tragic turn of events took place: on January 2 Mariana was taken to a hospital with an urinary tract infection, which soon became a generalized infection.
Under intensive treatment and unconscious, doctors believed Mariana wouldn't survive the next 24 hours. She did survive, but the strong medicines she had to take, stopped blood running through the extremities of her body.
The solution was the amputation of both her feet and hands.
Still at risk of dying, Mariana is conscious and made it clear that, even under such critical conditions, she wants to live.
People from around the globe have been praying for this young warrior, who in many senses has been a model for many. Her case has astonished a nation, and brought to people's attention the possible consequences of such infections.
Mariana is now recovering from yesterday's hands amputation surgery. She is in desperate need of type O negative blood. Local and national newspapers and websites have been asking people to donate blood.
Photos/Fabio Nunes: Mariana competing in Miss World Brazil 2007, as Miss Sergipe. She was the 4th runner-up to Regiane Andrade.