Fitness promoter Mara Flávia died while competing in the Ironman Texas triathlon. He was 38 years old.
“We are saddened to confirm the death of a race participant during the swim portion of today’s Ironman Texas triathlon,” Ironman Texas confirmed in a statement shared on Facebook on Saturday, April 18. “We send our deepest sympathies to the family…and will offer our support as they go through this very difficult time. Our thanks go out to the first responders for their help.”
The participant was confirmed as the promoter Flávia, who had more than 60,000 Instagram followers, by the Brazilian outlets O Globo and O Dia. Ironman Texas consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and ends with a 26.2-mile run, according to the event’s website.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a Facebook news release Saturday that “a participant in the Woodlands Ironman Triathlon drowned while participating in the event’s swim.”
“The Woodlands Fire Department has completed a rescue at Lake Woodlands near North Shore Park,” the statement read. “Once it was determined that the participant was deceased, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office began its investigation into the drowning under normal circumstances. MCSO Major Crimes detectives are on scene and will continue their investigation.”
In a Facebook post shared by a volunteer Shawn McDonaldFlávia went underwater shortly after the start of the race.
“After the start, we paddled around the swimmers, offering a hand – or a board – to anyone who needed a quick break. Then we heard the whistle,” McDonald recalled. “A group of young volunteers kayaking on the far side of the field were raising a flag, blowing a whistle, shouting for help. A lot of athletes were among us. I could see swimmers holding on to their kayaks. I heard them say go under.”
McDonald said he called the athletes who were nearby to stop so he could cross. He got to the other side in about 30 seconds and started diving down in search of the athlete.
Health activist Gabriela Martins Santos de Moura has died after undergoing an IVF procedure. He was 31 years old. Brazilian website G1 reported that Santos de Moura’s family confirmed that he died on Tuesday, February 24, due to complications from surgery. His cousin, Nahiza Monteles, told the newspaper that he was arrested at a private hospital. […]
“After about a minute under the water, I felt his body with my foot,” he recalled. “I came up, took what seemed like the deepest breath I’d ever taken and went back down. He was gone. I don’t know how to describe what it felt like. I tried again. And again. I knew I’d hear him again and I could hold him and lift him up. I couldn’t count how many times I dove over the next hour.”
He went on to say, “When the sonar boats came by and pinpointed my target, I would dive into that area. It didn’t cross my mind that he was long gone. I kept searching as if I was going to pull him out alive. Looking back, I probably took more risks than I should have. But I couldn’t stop.”
When the dive teams arrived, McDonald shared that he was “asked to get out of the water.” Flávia’s body was found after 9 am
“He went into that water chasing something that many people dream of finishing. He trained. He proved himself. He deserved to get out of it,” he wrote. “What breaks my heart the most is thinking of his family on the bank, watching him get out of the water and ride his bike. He’s renewing the action plan. I’m waiting for his position to be reviewed. It didn’t happen. They didn’t see him come out.”
He continued, “Her name was Mara and she was from Brazil. She was the whole world of a person. To her family: we did everything we could. I am deeply, sincerely, sincerely sorry that it was not enough. She will stay with me. May she rest in peace. I will be praying for all of you and please do the same for us.”
