Miss Austria 2024 dies at 22 after years of severe heart problems

Lucia Sisic, who won the Miss Austria title in 2024, has died at the age of just 22.

Since birth, the young Austrian had battled a congenital heart condition and, throughout her life, had to undergo seven surgical procedures, the BBC reports.

The heartbreaking announcement came from Mission Austria, the organization responsible for staging the Miss and Mister Austria contests, in a statement posted on social media.

“It is with profound shock and immense sadness that we learned of the death of Miss Austria 2024, Lucia Sisic,” the message shared by the organizers said.

She was crowned in 2024 and was still the titleholder, as no new event has yet been held to choose her successor.

In its statement, Mission Austria described the 22-year-old as “an amazing young woman” and extended its condolences to her family, friends and everyone who loved her.

“Lucia will always be part of our Miss Austria family,” read the statement signed by director Kerstin Rigger and her husband, Jörg.

Lucia herself had never concealed her long-running health struggle. In 2024, she shared a message of gratitude on Instagram for the pediatric medical staff who had cared for her throughout her childhood.

She said that, thanks to the dedication of the doctors and healthcare workers who, in her words, had saved her life on several occasions, she had managed to overcome the darkest periods and enjoy a fulfilling life.

During an interview with the Austrian media outlet Heute that same year, Sisic revealed that her first operation had been performed immediately after she was born.

The physical challenges also left their mark on her early years. She said she was not allowed to take part in certain sports and that her childhood experience was completely different from that of her peers.

“My childhood was simply different, but that gave me extraordinary strength,” she said.