
Felix Baumgartner's heartbroken widow shares footage of him taking off on doomed paraglider flight - as she reveals how she held daredevil's hand as he lost battle for life
Baumgartner, 56, tragically died at around 4pm local time on Thursday in Italy 's Porto Sant'Elpidio in the province of Fermo when a flight in a motorised paraglider took a fatal turn.
The Red Bull-sponsored athlete, who was holidaying in Fermo with partner Michela Radulescu, is thought to have suffered a medical crisis in mid air as he flew over Porto Sant'Elpidio on Italy's Adriatic coast and crashed into a swimming pool at the Le Mimose holiday camp.
Now, Ms Radulescu, a Romanian TV presenter, has shared chilling footage of her long-term partner just minutes before the tragic death, tragically adding that she filmed the video 'not knowing that this would be his last flight of his extraordinary life'.
Taking to X to post the somber video, Ms Radulescu said: 'For over 12 years I was there for every take off and landing, from skydiving, paragliding, helicopter flights, paramotor to aerobatic shows.
'And when I couldn't be there for some heli flights, we had the WLC code - 'the Wifey Landing Call'. Never missed one. Except …this one.'
Describing her partner as 'truly special', she added that he was 'going home now, up there, where he was the happiest ever'.
The 55-year-old also thanked the public for both their support and also for helping to 'keep his unique legacy high up'.
The Red Bull-sponsored athlete, who was holidaying in Fermo with partner Michela Radulescu, is thought to have suffered a medical crisis in mid air as he flew over Porto Sant'Elpidio on Italy's Adriatic coast and crashed into a swimming pool at the Le Mimose holiday camp
Baumgartner, who gained international recognition in 2012 after he leapt from the edge of space in the world's most extreme skydive, is understood to have lost control of the powered hang glider as he soared over the coast.
While emergency responders quickly descended on Le Mimose and attempted to resuscitate Baumgartner, he was pronounced dead before the arrival of an air ambulance.
The circumstances and cause of his death are still being investigated, with a post-mortem examination currently underway.
Following the fatal crash, horrified tourists and staff at Le Mimose del Club del Sole holiday village were seen crowding Baumgartner as he lay poolside in images courtesy of Corriere Adriatico, the daily newspaper of the Marche region.
Some appeared to be on their knees administering first aid as staff members hurried a spinal board to the scene, fearing the skydiver may have suffered severe injuries.
A bystander who saw Baumgartner approaching the deck told Correiere della Sera: I was here on the beach, I turned towards Le Mimose and I saw this paraglider fall suddenly. I thought he was going to land, but instead he fell really quickly.'
An employee at Le Mimose was also injured, reportedly by a piece of debris that struck her when Baumgartner crashed into the wooden hut by the pool. She was taken to hospital for treatment but Le Mimose later told MailOnline she was in good health.
In a touching tribute to her beloved partner, Ms Radulescu, who had been with Baumgartner since 2014, said that he had 'died doing what he loved the most – flying'.
She also thanked emergency services for doing their best to save him following the tragic incident, alongside members of the public who did 'EVERYTHING for him and for me here, in Italy'.
Ms Radulescu wrote:' For the World, a Legend who inspired so many and achieved so much…
'For his friends and family, the most loved and admired, the most positive, respectful, full of life and joy kid, and the most focused and organized adult when working on anything.
'For his fans, the Hero always smiling back to them, always having time for them, always happy to feel their love.
'For me… the man who loved me like crazy for 13 years, the extraordinary man I loved beyond words, the REAL MAN I respected and had the best time of my life with. And this is an understatement.
Ms Radulescu added that she, alongside everyone 'blessed to have him in our lives', had been left feeling 'lost' without Baumgartner.
She continued: 'He died doing what he loved the most - flying - in a happy place we came for the third time, with me holding his hands and shouting at him to FIGHT. The first fight he lost…'
'Keep telling his story, specially to your kids - in a world full of Dreamers, teach them about the Dreamer who made all his dreams come true, working damn hard for every single one of them.
'Thank you to everyone who payed (sic) respect and showed support for me and his Mom and Dad, for his family and our real good friends.
'I wrote this for him. Pay your respect for FELIX. This unique man deserves the best of all our hearts, thoughts and prayers….'
Ms Radulescu, who was away on holiday with Baumgartner at the time of the incident, was immediately informed of his death and rushed to the scene.
Shortly before his sudden passing, the sports star posted a video on his social media alongside the caption: 'Too much wind.'
It showed him paragliding in circles over a field, completely unaware of the tragedy that was about to strike.
Baumgartner is also said to have complained that he was feeling ill prior to take-off over Fermo, in Italy's Marche region.
Confirming his death, local mayor, Massimiliano Ciarpella said: 'Our community is deeply affected by the tragic disappearance of Felix Baumgartner, a figure of global prominence, a symbol of courage and passion for extreme flight.'
Just days prior to his accident, the Austrian daredevil had posted a selfie almost directly above where he died.
An employee at Le Mimose was also injured, reportedly by a piece of debris that struck her when Baumgartner crashed into the wooden hut by the pool. She was taken to hospital for treatment but Le Mimose later told MailOnline she was in good health
He posed in his motorised paraglider, with the coastline below. Chillingly, the properties in the photo are less than two miles from where Baumgarnter plummeted to the ground.
An accomplished skydiver and sports sensation, Baumgarnter was internationally known for his spectacular jumps. He became particularly famous in 2012 with a jump from the stratosphere in which he set three world records.
On October 14 2012, millions of people globally tuned in to watch Baumgartner jump from the edge of space, armed only with a pressure suit, a parachute, and nerves of steel.
He fell to Earth for more than four minutes, during which time he reached dizzying speeds of 843.6mph and broke the sound barrier, before opening his parachute and safely gliding down to land in New Mexico.
Speaking to MailOnline in 2022, he said: 'As a skydiver, you always want to push the envelope.
Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner is seen after jumping from a transport plane above Dover at the start of his freefall across the English Channel between Dover and Calais, July 31, 2003
'What Joe accomplished in the 1960s after only 33 skydives – this is what I call a true pioneer.
'And I had a couple thousand skydives under my belt.
'You're always thinking, what more can I do? Go faster? Go higher? It's always floating out there.'
In 1988, Baumgarnter began collaborating with the Red Bull brand, and from the 1990s onwards, he also tried his hand at base jumping, leaping from skyscrapers, natural features, and bridges.
He set several records and 14 world records: In 1999, the Austrian was the first to jump from the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and from the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
39 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Jos Verstappen squirms after being hit with awkward Christian Horner question as father of Red Bull star Max is grilled on rift with ex-team boss following his Formula One sacking
Jos Verstappen was left squirming on live television as former world champion Nico Rosberg confronted him with his past comments about Christian Horner. Horner was dismissed as team principal and CEO of Red Bull earlier this month after 20 years with the team, having overseen their transformation from upstart on the grid to winner of six constructors' championships and eight drivers' championships. Although his sacking came over a year after the former team principal was engulfed in a high-profile investigation, Horner's dismissal was said to be purely performance-related. In February last year, the 51-year-old was accused of sexual harassment and coercive and controlling behaviour by a female employee. He was twice cleared, initially after an internal investigation conducted by a lawyer, and then by another lawyer who dismissed the female employee's appeal. Around the time, Jos - influential father of Red Bull's reigning world champion Max Verstappen - called for Horner's exit. MailOnline reported that Jos was spending time with the woman at the heart of the sexting scandal, and that the controversy 'caused even more difficulties' in his and Horner's already-fragile relationship. Jos Verstappen on Christian Horner's Red Bull exit 🗣️ — Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 27, 2025 The two warring F1 giants 'never really saw eye to eye in the first place'. But Jos has now downplayed any alleged tensions he had with Horner. Being interviewed on the grid ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Sky Sports reporter Martin Brundle asked Jos: 'Big changes in the team. Are you and Max and everybody happy with where it's going so far?' Jos issued a diplomatic response. 'Well, they decided to change so I'm fine with everything, so as long as it works,' he said. Rosberg then reminded Jos of his public call last year for Horner to step down. The former Mercedes driver said: 'Last year, you said: "Horner needs to go because he's going to destroy the team".' Jos tried to brush it off, replying: 'That was a year ago. It's different. I have nothing to say. It's fine.' But Rosberg pressed again, 'Now you're quiet? You're quiet now?' to which Jos responded: 'I'm always quiet.' Throughout the scandal, Max's loyalty remained with Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, the man who discovered and backed him as a teenager. Jos was spending time with the woman at the heart of the sexting scandal, and the controversy 'caused even more difficulties' in his and Horner's relationship When Marko threatened to quit during a power struggle between himself and Horner in early 2024, Max made his stance clear. From then onwards, Horner's position at the team was precarious. It is understood that Horner's expanding grip on power within the Red Bull structure, including control over marketing, technical, and engine departments, had caused friction at the top. Max, who has a contract with Red Bull until 2028, has been persistently linked with a shock switch to Mercedes. But the four-time champion insisted Horner's exit will have no bearing on his Formula One future. The Dutchman said: 'No, it doesn't really. Now, I think people can have a difference of opinion here and then... I don't think it will matter at all for my decision in the future. 'And yet, the only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can make it, really.'


Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Jess Carter melts England fans' hearts and admits she was ‘scared to play' in Euro 2025 final after personal struggles
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JESS CARTER admitted she was 'super scared' of playing in England's Euros final triumph. Before the semi-final win over Italy, the Lionesses defender revealed she'd received racist abuse from online trolls during the tournament. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Jess Carter gave an emotional interview after the final 5 Carter admitted she was 'scared' to play in the Euro 2025 final Credit: Getty 5 Carter, who was excellent against Spain, received vile racist abuse on social media Credit: AP Carter, 27, was put back in the starting line-up for last night's penalty shootout triumph over Spain - after being put on the bench against the Italians. And the Gotham FC star says she was a bag of nerves going into the final after a recall from boss Sarina Wiegman. Carter said: 'I was super scared of playing the final for the first time in my life. 'When I woke up in the morning and saw my team and saw the support I had - and the belief I had from my team-mates, manager and family - I had I could come out and give my all. That's all you can do. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL HEAVEN AND KEL Chloe Kelly steals the show after scoring winning goal in TWO Euros finals 'It's incredible, the fans have been incredible all tournament and we couldn't have done this without them. 'We're so grateful for them and this moment. Giving up is not in our DNA. We have stuck together from minute one. I couldn't be prouder of this team and I'm so honoured to be proud of it. 'I'm more disappointed in myself previous performances than anyone else.' England team-mates, staff and fans rallied around Carter after she revealed vile abuse she had been subjected to. 5 England made it back-to-back Euro championships Credit: Getty BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Before the extra-time win against Italy on Tuesday, England's subs stood arm-in-arm with Carter after the players opted against taking the knee before kick-off. But Carter kept her cool to emerge as a European champion. Fans go wild as England beat Spain on penalties to win Women's Euro 2025 final Asked how she's going to celebrate, she said: 'Getting very drunk!' In an Instagram post, the 27-year-old player said: "From the start of the tournament I have experienced a lot of racial abuse. "Whilst I feel every fan is entitled to their opinion on performance and result I don't agree or think it's ok to target someone's appearance or race." She said she was stepping back to "protect myself in a bid to keep my focus on helping the team any way I can". "Hopefully speaking out will make the people writing this abuse think twice so that others won't have to deal with it," she added. 5 Jess Carter stands with her hands on her head and can barely believe that England have won the Euros again Credit: PA The Lionesses posted a message from the squad with the caption: "We stand with Jess, and all #Lionesses players past and present who have suffered racism." It reads: "No one should have to endure such vile abuse, be that in football or any walk of life. "Representing our country is the greatest honour. It's not right that while we are doing that some of us are treated differently simply because of the colour of our skin."


BBC News
5 hours ago
- BBC News
GB's Jones takes Challenger title in Palermo
Briton Francesca Jones claimed her second Challenger Tour title in dominant fashion with a 6-3 6-2 win against Anouk Koevermans in 24-year-old will climb into the world's top 100 for the first time when the new rankings are released on Jones lost in the first round at Wimbledon earlier this month but has since won successive Challenger Tour events on broke her Dutch opponent to lead 5-3 and then served out to take the opening carried that momentum into the second and broke again in the opening game, before going up a double break at 4-1 and sealing the reached her first WTA semi-final in 2023 but struggled to build on that run and has never been beyond the first round at a Grand Slam event.