Shakira Martin, the 2011 winner of the Miss Universe Jamaica pageant, has died following complications from sickle cell disease. She was just 30 years old.
Martin’s death was confirmed by her mother in a Facebook post early Wednesday morning after Martin was taken off life support. Her post read, “My darling princess Shakira Aminah passed away at 12:28am from complications from sickle cell blood clots to both lungs.”
She added, “Shakira was a fighter, lived her life in the moment, never became a slave to her disease. I will [keep] you posted with all the arrangements which will be both in Florida and Jamaica her favourite place in the whole world. Thanks for your support, prayers, phone calls, texts.”
Martin has been battling sickle cell disease since childhood and used her platform as Miss Universe Jamaica to bring awareness to the disease.
She competed in the 2011 Miss Universe pageant in Brazil, but was not placed.
Tributes have been pouring in on social media, including from fellow Miss Universe Jamaica the year prior, Yendi Phillipps and songstress, Denyque who is participating in this year’s pageant.
