Man plunges 70ft after rope snaps during bungee jump to celebrate divorce

A man who went on a bungee jump to celebrate his divorce broke his neck after the rope snapped and he plunged 70 feet.

Rafael dos Santos Tosta, 22, visited the Lagoa Azul in Campo Magro, Brazil to take part in a bridge swing on 11 February this year to mark the end of his marriage. You can see the fall here - but be warned the video does have some upsetting images:

For those not in the know, a ‘bridge swing’ is similar to bungee jumping, but consists of falling before becoming a ‘human pendulum’ swinging in a huge arc.

Rafael had gone to do the bridge swing with his pal and his cousin, three days before he turned 22.

Speaking to local media, he said: “I have always been a very calm person, but things changed recently. After the divorce, I wanted to enjoy life in every way possible. I was doing a lot of crazy things. I was not valuing my life at all."

Recalling the incident, Rafael said: "On the day, I was really happy, excited."

In a somewhat chilling premonition, he says he joked about the rope not being able to hold his weight, and then the next thing he remembers is waking up surrounded by people telling him not to move.

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He continued: "I panicked, and I thought, 'What am I doing lying here?' When I tried to stand up, I remember feeling a very strong pain. I've never felt worse pain in my life."

Rafael fractured his neck and lumbar spine, hurt his back and face, and sustained other injuries in the fall and is lucky to be alive.

Rafael, who is now undergoing intensive therapy, said the fall, which has left him with lasting injuries, has given him a new outlook on life.

He told local media: "You start to see life and be grateful for everything. It's not that I didn't care before, but I didn't look at it with this perspective.

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"My life will never be the same. I don't want to be the Rafael I was before. I have to be thankful for being alive, which is already a very big thing."

Almost three months on from the fall, Rafael is still suffering from both mental and physical after-effects.

He still struggles to lift heavy objects, still experiences pain in some areas, and feels weaker than before; while the psychological trauma is impacting his sleep.

He said: "My sleep is not the same. I'm not able to sleep. I had to seek help. I started having crises, nightmares, and I'm afraid to go to sleep.

"We think we are strong, but if you have a specialist or a light, it's much better than trying to get up alone."