💔 “Happy New Year, Mom, I love you…”

Those were the last words 16-year-old Arthur Brodard texted his mom just minutes after midnight—right before the Swiss Alps nightclub erupted into a deadly inferno that claimed 40 young lives.

For days, his heartbroken mother Laetitia searched hospitals and morgues, clinging to hope: “I want to be by his side… wherever that may be.”

Then came the devastating confirmation no parent should ever face.

Her raw, emotional announcement will shatter you… 👇

In a gut-wrenching video posted to social media late Saturday, Laetitia Brodard-Sitre announced the death of her 16-year-old son Arthur Brodard, one of the 40 victims claimed by the devastating New Year’s fire at Le Constellation bar, bringing a painful end to days of desperate searching and faint hope.

“Our Arthur has now left to party in paradise,” a visibly shaken Brodard-Sitre said in the emotional clip, translated from French. “We can start our mourning, knowing that he is in peace and in the light.”

The confirmation came as Swiss authorities revealed all 40 victims of the January 1 blaze had been identified, many through DNA testing due to the severity of burns. Arthur, a Swiss teen from the Lausanne area, was among the youngest casualties in a tragedy that has claimed predominantly young lives—26 of the dead were under 18, including two just 14 years old.

Arthur had joined about 10 school friends who reserved a table at the popular basement nightclub in the upscale Alpine resort to ring in 2026. Just after midnight, he sent his mother a text: “Happy New Year, Mom, I love you.” She replied minutes later: “Happy New Year, big guy, have a good time.”

That was their final exchange.

As news of the fire broke early on January 1—sparked likely by sparklers on champagne bottles held too close to the flammable ceiling—Brodard-Sitre and her husband Christophe rushed into a frantic search. She visited hospitals, appealed on social media, and spoke publicly to media outlets, pleading for any information.

“I’m looking everywhere. The body of my son is somewhere,” she told reporters on January 3, standing near the cordoned-off ruins of Le Constellation. “I want to know where my child is and be by his side. Wherever that may be, be it in the intensive care unit or the morgue.”

She described the agonizing uncertainty: hospitals overwhelmed, hotlines saturated, and unidentified burn victims scattered across Switzerland and neighboring countries. “Qu’il soit vivant ou pas, ma place est à côté de lui” — “Whether he’s alive or not, my place is next to him,” she said in one interview.

Brodard-Sitre’s public appeals captured the raw anguish shared by dozens of families in the tight-knit resort community. She held up photos of her smiling son, born February 22, 2009, and urged witnesses—nurses, doctors, anyone—to contact her.

Christophe Brodard told CNN early in the search that Arthur was “really responsible” and “a good person,” excited to celebrate with friends in what was considered a safe spot. “We are so empty. We think he could still be alive so we still have hope,” he said.

By Friday, hope dimmed as identifications progressed slowly due to the extent of injuries. Severe burns made visual recognition impossible in many cases, requiring DNA from relatives like Brodard-Sitre, who provided samples.

On Saturday evening, authorities notified the family. Brodard-Sitre’s Facebook announcement thanked supporters for their compassion during the search and shared the bittersweet closure: her son was gone, but the waiting was over.

Arthur’s death was among the final identifications announced Sunday by Valais police. The group included 10 Swiss nationals, two Italians, one with Italian-Emirati citizenship, one Romanian, one French, and one Turkish—reflecting the international draw of Crans-Montana’s nightlife.

The tragedy has spotlighted the vulnerability of young revelers. Le Constellation, renovated in 2015 and popular with locals and teens (Switzerland’s drinking age is 16 for beer and wine), was packed beyond its 300-person capacity. Witnesses described a flashover in seconds, chaos on a narrow staircase, and desperate attempts to escape through windows.

Survivors and bystanders recounted heroic efforts—teens pulling friends from flames, locals rushing to help despite the horror. One 14-year-old boy told AP he and friends carried out collapsing victims amid screams.

As identifications wrapped up, grief poured out publicly. Hundreds attended a somber Mass at Chapelle Saint-Christophe on Sunday, followed by a silent procession through snowy streets to the bar’s makeshift memorial of flowers, candles, teddy bears, and messages like “Rest in Peace, You are all our children.”

Firefighters, many tearful, joined mourners. Emergency workers applauded as the crowd passed, a gesture of mutual respect in the face of overwhelming loss.

National leaders responded swiftly. Switzerland declared a day of mourning on January 9, with church bells tolling and a minute of silence. President Guy Parmelin called it “unprecedented,” noting the victims’ youth and unfulfilled dreams.

International condolences flowed, with offers of medical aid from France, Italy, Germany, and others. Burn units across Europe treated the 116 injured (revised from initial reports of 119), many facing lifelong scars.

A criminal probe targets the bar’s French owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, for potential negligent homicide and arson. Prosecutors scrutinize renovations, materials, permits, and sparkler use—promoted in venue videos. The town of Crans-Montana joined as a civil party, though officials insist prior inspections found no issues.

Experts compare it to past disasters like the 2003 Station fire in Rhode Island, raising questions about pyrotechnics in enclosed spaces and foam insulation flammability. Swiss fire standards bodies paused reforms to incorporate lessons, while neighboring countries banned similar sparklers.

In Crans-Montana, typically alive with skiers and luxury, silence prevails. Residents grapple with shock—”You think you’re safe here,” one said—while rallying support for families.

Arthur’s story, from joyful New Year’s text to tragic end, embodies the heartbreak. His mother, in her final message, found a way to honor his spirit: partying on, free from pain.

As of January 6, 2026, funeral details remain private, but the nation prepares collective remembrance. The fire’s toll—40 lives cut short, communities scarred—lingers amid the majestic Alps.