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There is a star in mourning among the daredevil community. Felix Baumgartner, the first person to break the sound barrier with just his body, passed away in Italy on July 17 after his paraglider crashed in Porto Sant'Elpidio, a coastal city, according to Mayor Massimiliano Ciarpella. His age was 56.
The official posted in Italian on Facebook, saying, "The tragic death of Felix Baumgartner, a world-renowned figure, a symbol of courage and passion for extreme flight, deeply affects our community." "In this time of sorrow, Porto Sant'Elpidio is with his family and loved ones."
First responders at the scene reported that Baumgartner, who set several world records for his daring stunts, had collided with the side of a swimming pool in the city in central Italy.
When the Australian skydiver, known as "Fearless Felix," broke the sound barrier in free fall without a vehicle in 2012, he made history. He leaped from a spacecraft more than 24 miles above Earth while wearing a pressurized suit.
As he descended, his top speed was more than 843 mph, or 1.25 times the speed of sound. He also set records for the highest jump altitude and the fastest free-fall speed without a parachute thanks to the historic stunt.
Skydiving was a calling for Baumgartner, who worked on Red Bull's Stratos project.
In 2022, he told Euronews, "Skydiving has always captivated me since I was a young child." "I always sat atop trees to observe the world from above. I went to the local skydiving club; they taught me how to skydive, and this is where everything started. This is where my journey started without knowing where it was going to take me.”
Through his stunts, the daredevil, who has previously set the lowest BASE jump from the Christ the Redeemer in Brazil and the highest from the 88th floor of the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia, gained a fresh outlook on life.
In 2012, he told Red Bull, "I know the whole world is watching now." "I wish everyone could see how small you are sometimes; you have to reach very high to realize it."
