Brazilian fitness influencer drowns during Ironman triathlon in Texas

Culture & TrendsBrazilian fitness influencer drowns during Ironman triathlon in TexasMara Flavia Souza Araujo, 38, vanished during the swim portion of Ironman Texas, held at Lake Woodlands just outside of Houston on Saturday.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Swimmers compete in IRONMAN Texas in Lake Woodlands in 2015. Eric Christian Smith / Houston Chronicle via AP fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 20, 2026, 12:33 PM EDTBy David K. LiA Brazilian fitness influencer died during a triathlon in Texas, authorities said Monday, shortly after she told followers to savor every moment of life — which she likened to a train that could, at any moment, "drop you off at the eternal station."Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Brazilian Mara Flavia Souza Araujo, 38, vanished during the swim portion of Ironman Texas, held in Lake Woodlands just outside of Houston on Saturday.The woman was found in about 10 feet of water later that day and the Montgomery County Sheriffs Department on Monday named the victim."MCSO can confirm that Mara Flavia Souza Araujo, 38, of Brazil died while competing in the Ironman event in the Woodlands on Saturday," according to a sheriff's statement to NBC News. "Preliminary investigations indicate she drowned during the swimming portion of the event.The victim had more than 60,000 followers on Instagram and posted a picture of herself standing on railroad tracks on Wednesday."Enjoy this ride on the bullet train that is life," she wrote in Portuguese. "And even with the speed of the machine blurring the landscape, look out the window — for at any moment, the train will drop you off at the eternal station.” Araujo was an experienced triathlete who had completed at least nine other events over the past nine years. A representative for the event could not be immediately reached for comment on Monday. "We send our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the athlete...