Father Adelir Antonio de Carli, a courageous priest, aimed to raise funds for charity by tethering himself to 1,000 balloons. Sadly, his ambitious plan turned tragic when he drifted away into the sky and never returned. In April 2008, Father De Carli conceived the unconventional idea of using helium-filled balloons to raise money for a chapel for truck drivers in his parish along the highway.
Departing from Paranagua, a Brazilian port city, the priest was geared up with safety equipment like a helmet, an aluminum thermal flight suit, waterproof attire, and a parachute. His dual purpose was to break the world record for the longest time spent in the air via balloons and to gather donations for his cause.
Benefiting from his skydiving expertise and survival skills, Father De Carli, having successfully completed a similar stunt with 600 balloons earlier that year, decided to venture into the sky with even more balloons this time. Despite equipping himself with a GPS tracker and a radio for communication with air traffic control, after eight hours airborne, he disappeared without a trace.
Despite extensive search efforts by aircraft and rescue teams, Father De Carli remained missing until two days after the event when balloons were discovered in the sea near his last known position. Several months later, in July, his body was found by tugboat workers, confirmed through DNA testing. Reports suggested that he faced challenges with his GPS device and relayed feeling cold but alright before losing contact.
As the priest’s body was positively identified, his brother Moacir de Carli expressed relief that they could now arrange a proper burial for him. Fire Chief Johnny Coelhos had earlier expressed doubts about Father De Carli’s survival chances given the circumstances and equipment involved in the ill-fated journey.