Influencer Alana Paiva dies age 21 in hit and run motorbike crash in Brazil - the same day baby brother was born

A 21-year-old TikTok and Instagram influencer has died after she was involved in a hit and run collision while she was riding on the back of her boyfriend’s motorbike.

Alana Paiva suffered fatal injuries in the incident, which occurred in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Local reports claim that Paiva was on the back of her boyfriend's bike at the time of the crash when a minibus driver allegedly smashed into the couple and then failed to stop. 

Paiva was taken to a local hospital after the accident, which was said to have occurred on Thursday 12 October, and then put in an induced coma. But, she succumbed to her injuries and died on Sunday (22 October). Her boyfriend, Uilblim, aged 43, is said to have also died in hospital, hours after the crash.

According to comments left on Pavia’s Instagram page, she died on the same day that her mother gave birth to her baby brother, Liam. Uilblim is reportedly survived by an eight-year-old daughter. So, just who was Pavia, what happened to her and what tributes have been left to her? Here’s what we know.

Who was Alana Paiva?

Paiva was a social media influencer and bodybuilder. She had more than 5,000 followers on Instagram, @alana_paiva__, and more than 2,500 followers on TikTok, @alana_paiva__. She mainly used her social media platforms to post about her bodybuilding journey.

In one of her social media posts, she described bodybuilding as a “wonderful sport, which is not just about winning, but about maintaining discipline every day to surpass yourself each time you step on the stage”.

She began bodybuilding at the age of 13 because she said she was unhappy with her “skinny body”.  Her passion for the sport saw her earn three podium finishes at the Muscle Contest in Rio de Janeiro in March 2023. 

Paiva did, however, sometimes also post about her personal life. On Friday 29 September, she posted a photo of herself and her heavily pregnant mother with the caption: “Today’s tbt will be dedicated to the photo shoot with the pregnant mom. All ready, just waiting on my baby brother Liam.” A comment on the post which was left four days ago read: “And her baby brother was born today, the same day she left.”

What happened during the motorbike crash that killed Alana Paiva?

On Thursday 12 October, Paiva was said to be riding on a motorbike with her boyfriend, Uilblim, aged 43, who was the driver of the vehicle. The minibus allegedly made an illegal turn at a junction, smashing into the pair head-on, causing the handlebars of the bike to come off. 

The minibus driver is said to have fled after the incident. Uilblim was able to talk to emergency services who attended the scene and tell them what had happened. Police are currently investigating the incident.

What tributes have been left to Alana Paiva?

Many fans have left tributes to Paiva on her social media pages. One said: “Oh my god how sad” with a crying face emoji.  Another said: “Rest in peace, champ.” One person said: “You will be greatly missed! Young woman, full of life and conquering everyone where she went, we will feel sad to hear you singing and motivating us. Rest in peace”. Many simply post the broken heart emoji.

Some called for “justice to be served” and added: “May your absence never be in vain.” Another added: “Rest in Peace, justice will certainly be served! God does not sleep!”. One person said she was “beautiful” and would be resting in heaven.

One person referred to her baby brother and said: “May the Lord Jesus strengthen these parents and may the baby be the great blessing for this family. I won't forget to ask God for you and for Alana's departure. May God strengthen them!” Another fan said: “My condolences to family and friends! May God comfort you all during this difficult time.”