A 23-year-old Brazilian Taylor Swift fan died during an Eras Tour concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Friday, November 17. The official cause of Ana Clara Benevides Machado's death has not been released, but it is believed that the extreme heat in Rio lead to her death. PBS reported that the apparent temperature, which accounts for humidity, in Rio on Friday morning was 138F.
Fans were outraged that Time For Fun (T4F), the Brazilian tour organizer, didn't let fans bring water into the stadium despite the extreme heat. T4F also allegedly did not offer assistance to get Benevides' body home to her family in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, according to Newsweek. But fans crowdfunded to help raise money to send her body home, and her mom expressed her gratitude in a heartfelt video.
"We got an amount that allows us to do everything we wanted," Benevides' mom shared in a video translated on X. "Thank God, a lot of people have donated. And I want God to bless all of you, your families. Those who are fathers and mothers, that your children are blessed."
Taylor Swift reacted to the news of Benevides' death on Instagram on Saturday morning, saying that she was "devastated" and had a "shattered heart."
“I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends. This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil," Taylor wrote.
When Benevides went to Rio for the concert, it was her first time taking a plane, PBS reported. She also created a group on WhatsApp to send updates to her family as she traveled to see her favorite artist.
Benevides’ mom shared that she can see "how loved [her] daughter was" due to the outpouring of support.
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"Her friends stayed here with me yesterday until 4 a.m., telling me their stories, and my daughter's stories," she continued in the video. "And it was all joy surrounding my daughter. From my heart, thank you all."
