Lewis Stevenson clambered onto Spain’s highest bridge – the Castilla La Mancha in Talavera de la Reina – to attempt to take the photograph, but plunged to his death
This is the first picture of the British influencer who plummeted to his death while attempting to scale Spain’s highest bridge without safety equipment.
Lewis Stevenson, 26, is said to have been warned by his family not to clamber up the 630ft-tall Castilla La Mancha in Talavera de la Reina but took the challenge regardless. He tried to take a daredevil snap for his social media but plunged to his death on Sunday.
His Instagram page is full of poses on top of tall buildings and massive structures around the world, including in New York City, because the young man allegedly “did what he did for his own pleasure”.
But Lewis’s family is now heartbroken. His girlfriend Savannah Parker took to social media to express her grief over the tragedy, describing her partner’s death as “a nightmare”. Lewis’s grandfather Clifford Stevenson, 70, said: “We all tried to talk him out of it. We were always trying to talk him out of doing things but that was the way he was.
“He loved doing it, always went out there believing he’d be alright. He did what he did for his own pleasure. He did not get any money for it, he was an adventurer.”
Lewis garnered followers on social media with his daredevil stunts. Many expressed their sadness at his death. One posted on Instagram: “Knowing you has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. And losing you is the greatest sadness of my life. No amount of words on a stupid Instagram post will ever describe how much I miss you.
“You will always be the bravest, most caring and funny person I’ve ever known. I’m proud of every building, every rooftop, every moment of our time together. My best friend, my brother. Rest easy, we’ll meet again one day.”
Posting a photo of Lewis sitting on a New York City skyscraper, another daredevil wrote: “In the past seven years you introduced me to a new understanding of freedom, which changed my perspective on life massively, giving me guidance on my own creative work always motivating me and inspiring me through your own creative consistency. I’m forever thankful for the opportunities you gave me and the people you introduced me too.”
It’s thought Lewis was an office worker from Derby, where his girlfriend Ms Parker lived and posted on her social media: “It’s 5am and I haven’t eaten or slept. Someone tell me this is a nightmare. I feel violently sick at the fact you’re not coming back. Please come back. Answer the phone.”
Climbing structures without harnesses is a risky craze, which has gained popularity since the explosion of social media. Lewis showcased some of his “rooftoping” around the world on his Instagram page under the name expedition, reports Mail Online.
Dizzying photos of Stevenson atop a New York City skyscraper and resting on a metal beam overlooking the City of London were among those documented by Stevenson. Other photos showed the daredevil hanging from a structure in Croatia and a hotel roof in Mexico City.
But the tourist was discovered dead below the bridge in Spain on Sunday. It is unclear how high Lewis got up the structure when he lost his balance, but the peak of the bridge is an imposing 630ft. Authorities say they continue to investigate the tragedy.
