Millena Brandão, an 11-year-old actress known for her roles in the Netflix series Sintonia and the soap opera The Childhood of Romeo and Juliet, died on May 2 after suffering a series of cardiac arrests, her family confirmed. The young star passed away at Grajaú General Hospital in São Paulo, leaving behind a grieving family and a shocked fanbase.
Her parents, Thays and Luiz Brandão, shared the news on Instagram, writing: "On May 2nd we lost our little girl, but I'm sure she's in the arms of our almighty father and in a beautiful place to play." They added, "The memories we spent together will stay in my memory and I'll never forget your joy that infected everyone around you. You were the light in our lives and I know that from up there you'll continue to watch over us and light up our lives."
In an interview with Brazilian outlet G1, the Brandãos revealed that Millena experienced rapid health deterioration over the past week, including repeated hospital visits and eventually, multiple cardiac and respiratory arrests. "She got worse, with two to three cardiac arrests per day. She had 13 arrests in total," her parents said. Some reports, including The Sun, placed the number as high as 21.
Initial suspicions pointed to dengue fever, but further testing revealed a brain tumor. Millena's symptoms began around April 24, with complaints of headaches, leg pain, and fatigue. On April 29, after fainting at home, she was taken to the Maria Antonieta Urgent Care Facility, where a urinary tract infection was diagnosed. She later lost consciousness and was resuscitated before being placed on life support.
"She arrived with her unconscious in my husband's arms," Thays told G1. "Then, she opened her eyes and regained consciousness." But after being intubated, she never woke again. "Her lip turned purple. Then they resuscitated her and intubated her. From that day on, she never woke up again," Thays said.
After a particularly severe episode, the family chose to have life support withdrawn. "I said that if we were to let her little heart stop beating on its own, we would suffer more, and so would she," Thays recalled. "And we asked for the machines to be turned off."
Her mother concluded in her Instagram post, "I'll love you forever, and you'll always be in my heart."
Millena had amassed over 190,000 Instagram followers and appeared in notable Brazilian productions, quickly becoming a rising figure in the country's entertainment industry. Her death comes just weeks after the passing of another young actress, Sophie Nyweide, 24, who was found dead in April in a case that remains under investigation.
