Miss Austria Lucia Sisic Dies at 22 After Lifelong Heart Condition

Lucia Sisic, the reigning Miss Austria, has died at the age of 22, according to Mission Austria, the organisation behind the country’s Miss and Mister Austria competitions.

Mission Austria announced her death with a tribute describing Sisic as a “wonderful young woman” and expressing condolences to her family, friends and loved ones. The organisation did not disclose her cause of death.

Sisic was crowned Miss Austria in 2024 and remained the reigning titleholder until her death because no subsequent Miss Austria competition had been held. She had earlier won the Miss Vienna title before progressing to the national competition.

The young beauty queen had lived with a congenital heart-valve defect from birth and had spoken publicly about how the condition affected her childhood and life. Austrian media reported that she underwent seven heart operations, with her most recent procedure taking place in late 2025.

Sisic had previously used her experiences to encourage other people facing health challenges. In a 2024 interview, she reflected on having a childhood that was different from that of many other children because of her medical condition, but said the experience had also made her stronger. She also publicly expressed gratitude to the medical specialists who had treated her throughout her life.

Despite the seriousness of her condition, Sisic continued to pursue her ambitions and remained active publicly after becoming Miss Austria. Her final Instagram post was shared on August 12, featuring photographs of her wearing a gold gown. She had also travelled to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the weeks before her death.

Her death has prompted tributes from people within the Austrian pageant community and organisations connected to her life. Christopher Dengg, who held the Mister Austria title alongside Sisic in 2024, described her as being like a sister to him and said he was deeply shocked by her death.

Herzkinder Österreich, an organisation supporting children and families affected by congenital heart conditions, also mourned Sisic and highlighted her courage in pursuing her dreams despite years of medical treatment.

While Sisic's lifelong heart condition is well documented, there is currently no official confirmation that it caused her death. That distinction is important, particularly because her death was unexpected and the exact cause has not been publicly released by her family or authorities.

Sisic's short life therefore leaves two significant parts of her public story: her achievement in becoming Miss Austria at 20 and her determination to live beyond the limitations imposed by a serious congenital condition. Her death at 22 has brought renewed attention to a young woman whose public journey combined pageantry with an unusually candid account of living with a lifelong medical challenge.