Mariana Bridi da Costa

Late last December when twenty-year-old Brazilian model Mariana Bridi da Costa was feeling ill, she sought medical advice.

Doctors said she had kidney stones.

But when her condition worsened she was told she was suffering from a urinary tract infection.

However, by the time the infection was detected it had developed into septicemia—an infection of the blood.

And then, the septicemia was so bad that the doctors decided to amputate first her feet and then her hands after the condition reduced the amount of oxygen being delivered to her limbs.

For the septicemia to have developed into such a horrific outcome is a very rare occurrence.

Mariana Bridi, now in critical condition (“serious” has become “very serious”), is on life support, undergoing hemodialysis and fighting for her life in an intensive care unit in the city of Serra in the state of Espirito Santo in southeastern Brazil.

Doctors removed both her kidneys, and last night they removed part of her stomach because of internal hemorrhage.

The only recent communication she’s had with her family is through her eyes—by blinking.

Henrique Fontes, executive director of Miss World Brazil told CNN, “Two weeks ago the doctor gave her 24 hours to live and she’s been fighting and resisting—she’s quite amazing.”

This is a young woman who had dreams of becoming a world-class model and journalist. Now she is fighting for her life and hoping people will donate blood—she has a rare blood type (O negative).

A message on her website (which crashed because of all the traffic) begs for prayers.

My thoughts and prayers go out to you, Marianne, and your family! Hang on! You can get through this!

And if any of you reading this has O negative blood…

Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
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