An 11-year-old boy has been tragically killed by a falling goalpost after going to watch his father play football. A passionate devotee of the beautiful game, Bernardo Amorim Calixto Santos would regularly accompany his father, Maurício Calixto Gomes, whenever he had a fixture.
Maurício plays for local amateur side Colorado, and Saturday (May 9) had appeared to be an ordinary day at the football ground in São José da Lapa, Brazil. Following the match, adults were clearing away equipment while children, including Bernardo, played on the pitch. It is thought Bernardo may have leaned against or hung from one of two movable goalposts, which were reportedly left unsecured.
The metal structure collapsed onto him, inflicting catastrophic head injuries, as reported by NeedToKnow. One of the children alerted Maurício, saying: “Bernardo’s hurt, he’s bleeding over there.”Maurício raced over to discover his son lying unconscious on the ground, covered in blood.
He gathered Bernardo in his arms, rushed him to a vehicle and drove him to the local A&E department. Despite receiving medical treatment, the injuries proved too severe, and he was pronounced dead approximately an hour later.
Bernardo is survived by his parents and a half-sister on his mother’s side. The family resides in Ribeirão das Neves. A devoted Atlético Mineiro supporter, Bernardo’s love of football had inspired his father to return to the game.
Maurício told local media: “I started playing football again because of him.
“I thought, ‘I’ll start playing again because Bernardo’s growing up – otherwise he could end up going down the wrong path.'”
Bernardo’s uncle, Mauro Calixto Gomes, paid a heartfelt tribute to his nephew, saying: “He won everyone over. He did everything he could to make people smile. We’re devastated.”
The pitch where the tragic accident occurred is maintained by São José da Lapa City Hall.
Mauro, 45, told local media: “Other people said this had already happened there with other children, but it never ended in someone dying.
“We just hope Bernardo’s case is the last, so no more parents have to suffer like this.”
São José da Lapa City Hall released a statement confirming it “has been monitoring the case since the incident and is currently awaiting the conclusion of expert reports and investigations by the relevant authorities before taking the necessary and appropriate measures”.
Bernardo was laid to rest in Ribeirão das Neves on Monday (May 11).
