Influencer, 38, is found dead in lake after going missing during ironman triathlon
The 38-year-old influencer was found dead in a lake after getting lost during a grueling triathlon event.
Brazilian Mara Flavia Araujo was pulled from Lake Woodlands on the outskirts of Houston, Texas, around 9:30 a.m. Saturday.
He had disappeared during the swim portion of the Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas event about two hours earlier and was pronounced dead when a water rescue team found him at the bottom of the lake.
The swim portion of the race is approximately 3.9 miles long in waters with an average temperature of 23 degrees.
Just a day before Ms. Araujo died, she shared a photo of herself sitting poolside to her 60,000 Instagram followers.
The headline read: ‘Just another ordinary day!’
Ms Araujo’s sister, Melissa, confirmed her death on Saturday as police launched an investigation into what caused the crash.
The influencer’s friend Luis Taveira suggested that she may have been experiencing health problems in the days before the race.
Brazilian phenomenon Mara Flavia Araujo has died at the age of 38 after getting lost during a grueling triathlon event.
It was taken from Lake Woodlands on the outskirts of Houston, Texas, around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.
He said: ‘He was ill before the journey, he was not well.
‘My wife and I spoke to him and said he was too weak for this race, but when we spoke to him a few days ago he insisted he was fine.
‘I still can’t believe what happened. ‘He was weakened by the flu.’
In an interview with local media, Woodlands Fire Chief Palmer Buck said his team was notified of a ‘missing swimmer’ around 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning.
He added: ‘We already had a rescue boat on scene, they were also out as part of the racing car operating at the event.
‘When we arrived on scene they informed us they were looking for a missing swimmer near the buoy.’
Due to poor visibility in the water, a dive team was called to assist in the search.
‘The victim was found at the bottom of the lake in approximately 10 feet of water,’ Mr Buck added. ‘The dive team reached the victim, removed him at around 9.37am and then brought him to shore where he was pronounced dead at the scene.’
Ms. Araujo was an accomplished athlete and regularly shared photos and videos of her training on social media. He finished third at this year’s Brasilia Triathlon and has qualified for Ironman 70.3 twice.
She recently told followers how she became a triathlete after being diagnosed with a health condition eight years ago, writing: ‘I saw a way of rebirth, God and sport.’
Just a day before Ms. Araujo died, she shared a photo of herself sitting poolside to her 60,000 Instagram followers.
Ms. Araujo was an accomplished athlete and regularly shared photos and videos of her training on social media.
He was born in Sao Paulo and started working as a radio host, but in the months before his death he switched to DJing.
Organizers of the Texas triathlon released a statement announcing Mr. Araujo’s death.
It said: ‘We are saddened to confirm the death of a race participant in the swimming portion of today’s triathlon.
‘We send our deepest condolences to the athlete’s family and friends and will offer them our support as they go through this difficult time.
‘We express our gratitude to first responders for their assistance.’
Ms. Araujo’s passing comes nine years after Glen Bruemmer, 54, who died during the swimming portion of the Houston-based event.
He was pulled from the water and pronounced dead at the hospital.
