Mariana Bridi da Costa (June 18, 1988 – January 24, 2009) was a Brazilian model. She began her career at the age of 14 and participated in competitions and fashion events. In 2007, she participated in the Miss Bikini International contest and the Miss World 2007 beauty pageant where she secured fourth place.In the same year she participated in the Face Of The Universe held in South Africa and won the title for the fourth most beautiful face in the world.She was also a finalist in the Brazilian stage of the Miss World 2008 beauty pageant and won fourth place.

Illness and death

Da Costa fell ill in December 2008 when doctors originally misdiagnosed her with kidney stones. In early January, she went into septic shock due to a bacterial infection, probably Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is resistant to most antibiotics. Later in January, her feet and hands were amputated in attempt to save her life. A part of her stomach was later removed during her final surgery.

She died on the morning of January 24, 2009, in a hospital in Espírito Santo from a heart attack as a result of complications of necrotic septicemia. The cause of death according to the hospital certificate was a severe sepsis, urinary infection and abdominal bleeding which led to the failure of multiple organs.

News of her illness attracted attention around the world, and friends said they had received messages of support from many different countries

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