Pageant queen Ana Beatriz Araújo Ferreira dies at 22 after lightning strike

Ana Beatriz Araújo Ferreira, a 22-year-old Brazilian pageant queen, has died after being struck by lightning during a mild rainstorm in Almas, Tocantins.

Ferreira died on October 3 after the lightning strike, according to PEOPLE. She had recently been crowned “Queen of the Rodeo” at the ExpoAlmas agricultural fair and was reportedly caring for her niece when she was struck.

According to local authorities cited by PEOPLE, Ferreira was taken to a local hospital after the incident but was later pronounced dead. Her brother, César Augusto, told CNN Brasil that she had been with her niece when the lightning struck, describing the weather at the time as cloudy with only a light drizzle.

Augusto paid tribute to his sister, remembering her as one of the most beautiful people he had known. He said she had been caring for her niece at the time, describing the moment as an example of Ferreira showing love through a simple act of looking after her family.

Ferreira was also a physiotherapy student at Unopar University. She is survived by her five-year-old son, as well as her parents and siblings.

The organisers of ExpoAlmas also mourned Ferreira's death, saying her passing had left a profound loss for her family, friends and the wider community. The Almas Rural Union remembered her for representing the event with joy and affection for local traditions.

A wake and funeral were held on October 5. Local police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Ferreira's death.