The night of June 13th should have been like any other along the BR-251 highway — a long, seemingly endless stretch of road cutting through the rural and rugged landscape of Grão Mogol in northern Minas Gerais. The darkened asphalt, the occasional glow of distant lights from farmhouses, and the rhythmic hum of tires on concrete all painted a picture of a calm, ordinary journey. But that ordinary night would soon turn into one of the most devastating tragedies the region has witnessed in decades. A violent collision between a van carrying seasonal workers and a heavily loaded truck obliterated the quietness of the night, leaving nine people dead and another twelve injured, sparking shock and grief across communities hundreds of kilometers away. Families were left desperate for answers, clinging to hope while confronting a nightmare that had no warning signs.
