Lucia Sisic, the reigning Miss Austria, has died at the age of 22.
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Her death has been widely reported, per PEOPLE.
Sisic won the Miss Austria title in 2024 and continued to hold the crown because organizers had not held another pageant since her victory. Her death has prompted tributes from Mission Austria, the organization responsible for selecting Austria’s Miss and Mister titleholders.
Mission Austria expressed shock and deep sorrow following Sisic’s death. In a message shared on social media, the organization remembered her as a “wonderful young woman” and offered condolences to her family, friends, and others close to her. Mission Austria CEO Kerstin Rigger and her husband, Jörg, signed the tribute.
“Dear Lucia, you will always remain a part of our Miss Austria family. Rest in peace,” they wrote.
Lucia Sisic Suffered From Heart Problems
Sisic had faced significant heart-related health challenges throughout her life. She lived with a heart valve defect from birth and underwent several operations over the years, according to reports from Austrian media outlets.
Die Presse reported that Sisic underwent her most recent heart operation during the winter before her death. Sisic had previously spoken publicly about the medical specialists who treated her. In an August 2024 social media post, she thanked pediatric cardiology specialists and doctors for helping her through her struggles.
“Thanks to the specialists and the dedicated doctors, who have always saved my life with great efforts, I have overcome many difficult moments and have been able to live a fulfilling life,” she wrote.
Authorities and representatives have not disclosed Sisic’s exact cause of death.
Sisic remained active on social media in the weeks before her death. On August 12, she shared photographs of herself wearing a gold gown and captioned the post “Golden moments.”
Her death brings an early end to the life and pageant career of a young woman who had represented Austria on the national pageant stage.
As tributes continue, Sisic’s family, friends and the Austrian pageant community mourn the loss of a 22-year-old titleholder whose reign began in 2024 and ended with her untimely death.