The online community is mourning the loss of Isabel Veloso, a popular social media influencer who has died at the age of 19 following a long battle with cancer. Veloso passed away in Curitiba, Brazil, on Saturday after being hospitalised for 24 days.
A Public Battle and a Viral Farewell
For four years, Veloso documented her fight against Hodgkin lymphoma on Instagram, where she amassed a devoted fan base of more than four million followers. Her journey included chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, which initially led to her being given the all-clear in November 2023.
Tragically, her cancer returned just three months later with a devastating 6.6-inch tumour between her lungs that impacted her heart. In January 2024, she received the terminal diagnosis that she had only months to live.
The Heartbreaking Letter to Her Son
In October 2025, as she prepared for her bone marrow transplant, Veloso penned an emotional letter to her one-year-old son, Arthur. Following her death, the letter has spread rapidly across the internet, touching millions.
In it, she wrote to her infant son: "Hi, my love, Mummy isn't with you right now, and I know you feel it. I know you miss my lap, and that scent you're searching for in the air that isn't there. But I want to tell you something, I haven't gone away... I'm here, inside everything."
She promised him she was in a place healing her body so she could "carry you, to run in the park with you, to see you grow", adding, "And I will come back. It will take a little while, but I will come back." She assured Arthur he was never alone and signed off with, "I love you more than any distance can measure. I promise I'll be back soon…"
A Family's Love and Legacy
Arthur is now being cared for by his father, Lucas Borbas, 27, who shared his own tribute to Veloso in November. He celebrated their 823 days together, writing: "It's not just our time together, it's everything we've overcome side by side... I would choose you in every one of those 823 days… and I would choose you again."
Isabel Veloso will be laid to rest in Dois Vizinhos in Paraná, the area where she was raised by her family. Her story remains a powerful testament to a young mother's public fight with illness and the enduring love for her child.
