Sisters Who Went Viral After Birthday Candle Fight Are Closer Than Ever Two Years Later

There is something special about the bond between sisters. Only your sister can understand all the right buttons to push to help you succeed. But sisters also know the right buttons to try to make you lose your cool. It’s almost as if they were born knowing. For Brazilian sisters As Marias, this is no different. 

During Maria Eduarda’s third birthday party, her sister Maria Antonia, then 6, decided to help her sister blow out her birthday candles playfully. Maria Eduarda was not happy. In the 2020 viral video, the younger sister then took matters into her own hands. 

Maria Antonia, who was as cool as a cucumber, let her sister take out her distress on her. Why would she feel badly? She had her moment.

Their mother, Marinês Dos Santos Fernandes, tells mitú that this isolated video doesn’t depict their actual relationship. They lit the candle again and Maria Eduarda had her moment. Harmony was restored.

In this installment of Where Are They Now, we dive into what the two adorable sisters have been up to since their video captivated the internet — and setting the record straight on whether there has been more hair pulling.

As Maria’s video wasn’t shared with the intention of going viral 

Like many of the earlier birthdays in Latino households, it was a “simple celebration,” Dos Santos Fernandes explains.

“It was Maria Eduarda’s third birthday party at our house — a simple celebration. Maria Eduarda went to blow out the candle, and her older sister Maria Antonia blew it out instead,” the mãe of two recalls.

She affirms, “In a spontaneous outburst, she grabbed her sister by the hair and started crying. We lit the candle again, and she managed to put it out. In the end, they cut the cake together, and everything was fine.”

Dos Santos Fernandes reveals that the video was shared by someone she knew on Instagram. Then, internet history happened.

“The video that went viral was posted by Dinda on her Instagram account. After it went viral, an Instagram account was created for the Marias,” she explains. “In three days, they gained 293,000 followers. Today, the account [@asmariasdepb] has [249,000] followers. We post their daily lives and the various activities they do.”

Dos Santos Fernandes says As Marias weren’t changed by their fame

As expected, the young As Marias were unfazed by their fame. Mainly because they didn’t understand it, their mother does note they later grew to understand what happened to them.

“At first they didn’t fully understand, but little by little, they came to understand and become familiar with social media. Today they are very resourceful, they do various activities — and above all they are children,” the Pato Branco-based nurse clarifies.

In terms of their relationship with one another? That of two sisters traveling life together, guided by their parents.

“We always teach them to have respect for each other, but we can’t escape the fact that they are children and sisters,” Dos Santos Fernandes says. “There are always disputes [and] preferences, but in the end, they understand each other.”

Today, the sisters, 5 years old and 9 years old, are off doing what kids do. Their mother tells mitú they participate in activities like “swimming, gymnastics [and] drawing classes.” 

As Marias are focusing “committed” to their schoolwork and being kids

Dos Santos Fernandes notes that their biggest achievement since their viral fame was being awarded a scholarship to learn English.

“The main achievement [since the video] was an English scholarship for both of them here in our city Pato Branco, Paraná, at the [Achieve idiomas Pato Branco] school since 2020,” the doting mother adds. 

Adding, “They study in the public school system. Occasionally, we make some partnerships and exchanges. But the main goal is for them to study and be children.”

Among their many activities, As Marias even took some modeling lessons.

“They both took modeling courses and have professional modeling cards. They liked it a lot. But because we don’t leave our small town of Pato Branco, there are few opportunities here. So we’re prioritizing their education,” she says.

For now, both sisters are diligently working on their studies and focusing on being happy little girls who love to dance and have fun.