Heartfelt Tribute to Influencer Who Drowned at Texas Ironman

The grieving partner of a popular influencer who drowned during a Texas Ironman competition has expressed his sorrow, calling her the “best person” he’s ever known and declaring her the “last woman” he will ever love.

Rodrigo Ferrari affectionately referred to Brazilian athlete Mara Flavia as “Ursa,” which means “she-bear” in Portuguese. In a note shared online just two days after her tragic death, he conveyed his enduring love for her, saying it “will be forever.”

He reflected on his profound sense of loss, sharing, “I never imagined that I would feel this much pain and sadness over someone’s passing.”

He went on to describe Ursa as the most wonderful person in his life, stating, “You gave me the will to live, joy, and a spark for everything I love—my health, family, sports, music, work, and a new family too!”

In his heartfelt message, he noted, “Your light has shone on me and everyone around you, and it continues to shine from above. I hope one day everyone can experience true love like we did.”

Describing the depth of his feelings, he added, “It’s so strong, I can’t explain it, but it will live on inside me forever. Yes, my love for you is eternal; you were the last woman in this world for me.”

He mentioned that they would reunite “next season,” recalling one of her final posts in which she told her 60,000 followers to “Enjoy this train journey that is life.”

“As you said, ‘Enjoy this bullet train ride that is life,’” he reminisced. “And even if the machine speeds up and you can’t see, look out the window. The train is about to leave you at the station of eternity.”

Ferrari shared a montage of tender photos of the couple along with a snapshot from their training sessions.

Flavia went missing while swimming in The Woodlands, a freshwater lake, on Saturday morning. This was the initial segment of a challenging 140-mile race.

The fire brigade received a report about a missing swimmer around 7:30 a.m., roughly an hour into the women’s professional swimming segment. Rescuers faced difficult conditions until Flavia’s body was recovered just after 9:30 a.m.; volunteers in kayaks discovered her submerged in the water.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Flavia “drowned while participating in the swimming portion of the event.” They noted that the major crimes unit would proceed with an investigation as part of standard procedures.

A family friend revealed that Flavia had been dealing with health issues prior to the race, though authorities have not disclosed an official cause of death.