Influencer bride-to-be killed on her 29th birthday, along with her fiancé and friend, in crash with lorry
A social media star who was just months away from getting married has been killed in a car crash along with her future husband - as they were on their way out to celebrate her 29th birthday.
Luanna Raquel de Araújo Melo, along with her fiancé and friend, died when their car collided with a lorry that was carrying tomatoes and another truck.
The crash happened on a busy road in Brazil, near Feira de Santana, northeast of capital Brasília, in the early hours of Friday morning (September 26). Luanna, along with fiancé Korbinian Andreas Dengler and friend Herbson Nunes Negrão, aged 24, died at the scene, reported Brazilian news outlet g1.
Fitness and fashion influencer Luanna had recently got engaged to her husband-to-be, who was a 36-year-old gym owner. They were planning their wedding and were only months away from their big day when they died.
The driver of the lorry carrying the tomatoes was trapped in the wreckage, but was then rescued and rushed to hospital in critical condition. The second truck driver suffered minor injuries.
Brazilian police say the cause of the crash is still under investigation. Witnesses reportedly told the Federal Highway Police that the tomato truck lost control and veered into the opposite lane, hitting the victims’ car and another truck.
Many tributes have been left for Luanna, who was originally from Garanhuns, in the state of Pernambuco, online. Her former school, Colégio Santa Sofia, issued a statement which read: “We would like to express our deepest condolences on the passing of Luanna Araújo. A former student of our institution and daughter of our beloved sports coordinator, Cristiano Melo. We join in prayer, asking God to comfort the hearts of the family and all who shared in Luanna’s life and friendship.”
Many of the late star’s 94,000 Instagram followers also left words of condolence on her page. One person wrote: “Rest in peace, light, lots of light Luana!” A second said “Lulu my princess, I will miss you so much, I'm sure God prepared a beautiful party in heaven to welcome you.” A third wrote “Wow, I followed her for a long time, she always replied to my messages, so beautiful, may God have her.”
On her 28th birthday, Luanna posted several photos of herself on her Instagram page and said she was looking forward to more “incredible stories”. “Starting another cycle with much gratitude to God for all the learning and opportunities so far! May a new chapter of incredible stories come!”, she wrote.
Luanna was known for her fashion and lifestyle content and often shared make-up tips and also outfit looks with her fans.