A former Florida beauty queen was k!lled by the devastating earthquakes that shook Venezuela last week, after she was found lying side-by-side with her boyfriend underneath the rubble of their building.
Skarlent Rodríguez, 23, and her boyfriend José Castro had been missing for several days after their apartment building in the heavily damaged region of Catia La Mar in La Guaira state collapsed during one of the June 24 earthquakes, HOLA! reported.
Following an extensive search-and-rescue effort, the bodies of Rodríguez and Castro were recovered on Monday, lying together buried beneath the rubble of their building, the Rodríguez and Castro families announced on their joint GoFundMe page.
“Sadly, they were both found dead…side by side, together until the very end,” the two grief-stricken families wrote on the fundraiser.
“There are no words to describe the pain we are living,” the statement added.
Castro’s father, grandmother, uncle and aunt also d!ed in the devastating disaster in Venezuela.
Rodríguez, who hails from the South American country, began gaining international recognition after being crowned Miss Grand Orlando in Florida’s competition last year.
The Miss Grand Florida organization mourned the loss of the rising beauty queen on social media, reflecting on her “radiant smile, warm spirit, and unwavering positivity [that] touched everyone she encountered, both on and off the stage.”
“She will be remembered not only for her beauty and accomplishments but also for the way she uplifted others and carried herself with dignity and light,” the organization continued.
“Her legacy will continue to live on in the hearts of her fellow queens, judges, directors, and all members of the Miss Grand Florida family.”
Following the catastrophic earthquakes on June 24, Venezuelan authorities confirmed that at least 1,719 people have died, with some 5,000 more injured.