In a somber turn of events, Vânia Nonnenmacher, the beloved mother of Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen, passed away at the age of 75 following a courageous battle with cancer. Her passing occurred at Hospital Moinhos de Vento in Porto Alegre, as reported by Brazilian media outlet GZH.
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Vânia Nonnenmacher, a figure of resilience and strength, was also a retired banker who formerly worked at Banco do Brasil. Her roots were steeped in German descent, and she also held Brazilian nationality. Alongside her husband, university professor Valdir Bündchen, she raised six daughters—Gisele, Patrícia, Rafaela, Raquel, Graziela, and Gabriela—in Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, where Gisele, the former Victoria’s Secret Angel, was born.
According to Hola, the family has organized a wake at the Ecumenical Chapel of the Metropolitan Crematorium in Porto Alegre on Monday, where friends and family will gather to bid their final farewells.
Gisele Bündchen, who famously appeared with her mother on the cover of Vogue Brazil in 2018, has yet to make a public statement about her mother’s passing. She has often tugged at our heartstrings with heartfelt posts about her mother, and one from Vânia’s birthday read, “Happy birthday, Mom! I am forever grateful for all that you have done and continue to do for us.”
Gisele Bündchen’s Reflection on the Health of Her Parents’
In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, while promoting her latest cookbook, Gisele reflected on the importance of health and well-being, a value undoubtedly instilled in her by her mother.
“I want to live the longest, feeling the best that I can, but for me to achieve this, I have to make decisions today,” she stated. This truth is particularly resonant considering the health challenges faced by her mother.
Gisele has been notably private about her mother’s health struggles, choosing to focus on celebrating her life in public moments, such as the Vogue Brasil cover and heartfelt social media posts. The love and wisdom she’s passed on—it’s like a powerful legacy now.
It’s so evident in her daughters, especially Gisele. You can tell she’s always leaned on what her mom taught her, drawing so much strength and guidance from that endless love her mom had.
