Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, the 21-year-old woman who died dramatically when two bungee jumping instructors threw her from a bridge without securing her to a safety harness, was buried this Sunday in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo. Her last messages on social media before the tragic event have now come to light: "Who was the crazy one who let me jump off a bridge?", one of them said.
The incident took place on Saturday at Ponte do Esqueleto, an abandoned bridge in the municipality of Limeira where tourists practice extreme sports. The young woman, who aspired to become a physical education teacher, had requested to be launched from the bridge in an airplane style, with two instructors lifting her above their shoulders while she extended her arms.
Images shared online show two men with white helmets throwing Freites into a 40-meter abyss without securing her to any safety equipment, and a person watching shouts at the instructors to tie her to a rope.
In three other posts by Maria Eduarda on social media, three images were accompanied by three phrases. "Welcome to the ropes!", next to a sign that said 'danger' at the entrance of the bridge; "I'm going to fly!", in an image of the bridge; and "Authorized takeoff", with a photograph of several bracelets given at the activity.
The police in Brazil have arrested three men who worked for the company that offered these jumps for the death of the young woman. Authorities have also launched an investigation that could lead to murder charges.
"My daughter, you have gone and all that remains is pain and longing. I love you forever. That damn rope took you away from my side forever," Maria Eduarda's mother wrote on social media to say goodbye to her daughter after the tragic event.
Her brother, on the other hand, also wanted to say goodbye to the young woman. "Waking up and knowing you're not here hurts. It hurts a lot. I love you very much. Now I have to be strong, because it hurts a lot. I still can't believe it. I will never forget you, our jokes. I love you very much, princess," he shared.
The video of Maria Eduarda falling to her death has gone viral on social media platforms, where internet users describe her death as a surreal case of negligence.
The activity they were practicing is not the classic bungee jumping modality, but 'rope jumping', a variant that uses a stiffer rope. Jumpers do not bounce after reaching their lowest point, but swing back and forth like a metronome.