Remembering Zuza Beine
Bright light which is the world went missing.
Zuza Beine, a bold young influencer who had no qualms in sharing her brave battle against Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), passed away at just 14 years of age.
Her family shared the sad news via an Instagram post on Sept. 23, with a photo of Zuza beaming by the sea. “With the most saddened hearts, we inform you that Zuza passed away last night,” the message stated. “She fought cancer with all her might for 11 years out of her 14, but she lived more than most and did so with gratitude. Her getting was a great and forever changed us, and so will her leaving.”
A Life of Appreciation
The family of Zuza reported that her last video was really a picture of her soul. To them, “the final recording of what she was thankful for is not a chance — a witness to a life with both the good and the bad.” They said “Above all, she yearned to be just a regular kid with good health. However, what made her life so charming was the way she endured the toughest situations as if it were her illness and still chose to live.”
Finding Joy in the Everyday
Zuza diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia when she was only 3 years old, confided in her audience with respect and humility through her incessant use of her platform to highlight light moments alongside the fight.
She recognized “the daily things that the majority of people often overlook” in one of her last posts, uploaded Sept. 20 – a few days before her death.
The video was a lovely tribute to her life: snapshots of Zuza enjoying her favorite food, playing with her hair, and doing what she liked most – being with friends and family.
Honest Until the End
Shortly before her death, Zuza still kept sharing very honest and open communication concerning her health. In a Sept. 18 Instagram video, she confessed that she had not been feeling “the best physically and mentally.”
“I’ve been in so much pain lately,” she mentioned. “I’m always taking my pain medicine because my body is so, so, so painful.”
She said that she got two days of hospitalization during which she received an IV treatment and was allowed to go home for continuation of the treatment. She also took a step back to give her haters a piece of her mind and said that her posts were “all about the cancer.”
Real and Unfiltered
“I’m always in pain and this is the way my life looks,” opened up Zuza. “It’s not all good and not all pretty as I keep being real with you and it is my life.”
Despite her suffering, she ended her speech on a bright note expressing her gratitude. “I am really waiting for the better feeling to come very soon,” she said. “Yet, if I am not for real, I apologize. I love you all so much.”
Using Her Voice for Others
Zuza, during her time, repeated a number of times the reasons why she openly shared her story.
“Basically that Instagram of mine was set up just to share my journey with the other people,” she said to Milwaukee’s TMJ 4 in a 2023 interview. “Also, I’d like to tell other kids that they aren’t alone, that they are going through a similar situation as me.” Through her openness, courage, and being always vulnerable, not only did Zuza record her struggle but she also brought to light the darkness that lies behind childhood cancer – giving the energy and the comfort to the ones who had the same situation.
