The devastating passing of Ana Clara Benevides, a 23-year-old Taylor Swift fan who lost her life before the singer’s concert in Brazil, has prompted her grief-stricken father, Weiny Machado, to break his silence. Ana Clara fell ill at the Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos in Rio de Janeiro, with paramedics attending to her on-site before she passed away an hour after reaching the hospital. The cause of her death has yet to be announced.
The tragedy occurred amid an unprecedented heatwave in Brazil, where soaring temperatures prompted health warnings. Weiny Machado, in an interview with Folha de São Paulo newspaper, shared the heartbreaking loss of his only daughter, a bright and happy girl on the brink of graduating in Psychology. He expressed the need for an investigation into whether attendees were prohibited from bringing water and raised concerns about potential negligence in providing assistance.
Machado acknowledged Taylor Swift’s efforts to ensure her fans were hydrated, stating, “I know that the singer was handing out water to her fans, and that is absurd for an event of this size. Nothing will bring my daughter back, but I hope that, if negligence is confirmed, someone will be punished, so that this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
Swift herself conveyed her deep sorrow in a statement released on Instagram on November 18. The 33-year-old star expressed disbelief, stating, “I can’t believe I’m writing these words, but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show. I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this.”
Lamenting the loss, Swift continued, “There’s very little information I have, other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young. I’m not going to be able to speak about this from stage because I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it.”
Expressing empathy for Ana Clara’s family and friends, Swift said, “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.”
On the night of the concert, Swift was seen directing staff to distribute water to attendees as temperatures soared to 38 degrees. In a video shared online, the singer emphasized the need for water, stating, “There’s people that need water right here, maybe 30, 35, 40 feet back. So whoever is in charge of giving them that, just make sure that happens. Can I get a signal that you know where they are?” The gesture showcased Swift’s genuine concern for the well-being of her fans amid challenging conditions.
