A Brazilian fitness and health influencer Adriana Thyssen has died at the age of 49 due to a ''mystery illness'', New York Post reported. Ms Thyssen, also known as Drika, was reportedly found dead in her Uberlandia apartment in Sao Paulo on Sunday but her exact cause of death is unknown. Her family has not disclosed the cause of death.
The fitness influencer regularly shared tips and updates on her weight-loss journey on Instagram and she notably lost over 100 pounds (45 kg) in just over a year.
“It is with deep sadness and regret that we, the Drika Blog and Drika Store team and family announce the death of our dear Drika. In this moment of pain, we ask for everyone's prayer and compassion,'' Ms Thyssen's cousin wrote on the Instagram page of her plus-size sportswear boutique, Drika Store.
See the post here:
Ms Thyssen had gained a substantial following of over 600,000 on Instagram, where she routinely documented her weight loss efforts, and shared workout regimes and healthy diet tips.
She had previously admitted that she had struggled with being overweight since she was a teenager. At 39, the health influencer weighed over 220 pounds (around 100 kg). She shared how she decided to get in shape after struggling with drug addiction and depression.
In a post welcoming new followers, she wrote, "I started the fight on 02/18/13, I weighed 107kg. I wasn't pregnant and I didn't have bariatric surgery. I was unemployed and with my husband I was in debt at the bank."
From there onwards, she started her weight-loss journey by adhering to a balanced diet and a rigorous exercise regimen. She initially lost 80 pounds in eight months and 20 pounds in the next seven months.
She has been buried at a private funeral at Cemitério Bom Jesus in Araguari in her native state of Minas Gerais.
