A 72-year-old grandmother has died after falling from an airplane staircase and landing on her neck while traveling to her daughter’s birthday celebration.

Maria da Gloria Pereira da Silva Favaro died in hospital two days after the tragic accident at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, one of Brazil’s busiest airports.

She had just arrived in São Paulo on LATAM flight LA 3785 from Ribeirao Preto. Tragedy struck as she was disembarking the plane.

According to witnesses, Maria fell on the last few steps of the stairs and landed heavily on her neck on the tarmac below. First responders provided immediate assistance before she was rushed by ambulance to Alemão Osvaldo Cruz Hospital.

She was diagnosed with a skull bleed and passed away from her injuries two days later.

Her daughter, Raquel Fávaro, posted a heartfelt tribute on social media:

“I will always love you. After I became a mother, I realised that your love and selflessness were actually even greater than I could see. Thank you for everything and, especially, for what you did that I couldn’t ‘see’. I hope that my love will one day repay, at least in part, everything you did for me.”

Brazilian influencer Julio Mamute, who witnessed the incident, fought back tears as he described the moment:

“I saw a person fall at my feet and stop moving. I approached and was the first to notice that at that moment the person was still breathing with difficulty. She fell onto her neck on the last few steps.”

He added that he remains deeply shaken by the event and will “never forget it.” Mamute urged his followers to pray for the family and to be careful when using airplane stairs, noting that “tragedies like this can be avoided.”

In a statement, LATAM Airlines Brazil said:

“On Friday a passenger suffered a fall while descending the stairs during disembarkation from flight LA 3785. She was assisted by an ambulance and taken to a local hospital for treatment, accompanied by a company employee who remained on site until the family arrived.

LATAM deeply regrets the passenger’s death and extends its condolences to her family. The airline emphasizes that it followed all protocols established for this type of situation, reiterating that it adopts all possible safety measures, both technical and operational, to ensure a safe journey for everyone.”