Elis Lima Carneiro, a Brazilian child who rose to fame on social media because of her struggle with a rare aging syndrome, has died. She was 5. Her Instagram page announced her death, saying she died Wednesday, and invited the public to her wake Saturday at a chapel in Boa Vista, with burial immediately afterward.
The Elis Lima Carneiro dead news was shared with an open invitation to all who wished to support the family during the difficult time. The post’s caption thanked the public for their support. Elis had more than 1.5 million followers on social media and documented her life as she dealt with Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, a rare and fatal disease that causes premature aging in children. Estimates say the odds of being diagnosed are between 1 in 4 million and 1 in 8 million.
Elis has a twin sister named Eloá who also has HGPS. Her older brother, Guilherme Lago, told the local outlet g1 that he believed his sister left behind a legacy larger than he could imagine. “She touched many people, gave visibility to rare diseases, and showed that, even in such a short life, it’s possible to leave behind an immense story,” he said. Elis was 5 years old.
