The mother of British influencer Lewis Stevenson has issued a heartbreaking tribute following his death.
Influencer and free climber Stevenson, 26, tragically fell to his death on Sunday (13 October) after attempting to climb the Castilla La Mancha bridge without using any safety equipment with the aim of sharing the video across his social media platforms.
It is understood that Stevenson lost his grip around a quarter of the way into the daring 630ft (192m) climb.
His death was confirmed by local authorities, with a spokesperson for National Police in Toledo saying: “He was about 40 to 50 metres up, around a quarter of the total height of the bridge, when he fell.”
Lewis had built a platform online by showcasing his daring adventures (Lewis Stevenson/Facebook)
Stevenson’s mum Keilia has now shared a touching tribute to her son, issuing a statement to Derbyshire Live which called Stevenson her ‘biggest achievement’.
“Lewis was my boy, my world and my biggest achievement. He was happy and ambitious in life,” she said. “He was a thrill seeker who loved to travel and have new experiences.”
Keilia went on to add that she ‘didn’t particularly agree with’ her son’s passion for ‘rooftopping’ – which is where a person climbs unsecured to the top of buildings, cranes or any other tall structures – but accepted it was his passion in life.
Stevenson had built an online following by showcasing his daring adventures, with the content creator seen sitting on top of New York skyscrapers and overlooking London from a metal beam.
“We, as a whole family, supported his adventures around the world, which included amazing places he got to visit like Easter Island and Machu Picchu, but unfortunately, those adventures also included climbing great heights, which we didn’t particularly agree with but understood this was what he loved to do,” she continued.
The Castilla La Mancha bridge in Talavera de la Reina, Spain (Getty Stock Images)
“He knew his limits and never did anything beyond them. He was a keen photographer and he did this all for passion not as an influencer. There will forever be a hole in our hearts and life will not be the same again.
“We are absolutely devastated by this tragic accident and ask people to please be respectful whilst we grieve.”
Keilia’s tribute follows that of Lewis’ granddad Clifford Stevenson, who had previously told MailOnline that the family attempted to talk him out of his plan to climb the Spanish bridge.
“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 said.
“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.”
