Mihaela Rădulescu has spoken for the first time following the tragic death of her longtime partner, Felix Baumgartner, firmly rejecting the early speculation that he suffered a heart attack mid-flight.
“I was sure Felix hadn’t had any health issue – he was obsessive about monitoring his health, and he didn’t have any heart condition,” Mihaela Rădulescu told Il Resto del Carlino.
Her statement came after the preliminary results of the autopsy were released. According to the findings, Felix Baumgartner died upon impact, suffering a fractured lumbar spine and spinal cord injury. While early medical reports suggested he might have had a cardiac arrest that caused him to lose control of his paraglider, the autopsy disproved that theory.
Authorities are now exploring a different scenario: that a poorly mounted action camera may have come loose during the flight, been sucked into the paramotor’s propeller, and caused the crash.
“The prosecutors – to whom I’m grateful for their cooperation – returned his body immediately after the autopsy, so Felix can finally come home to Austria. However, the date of the funeral has not yet been decided,” Rădulescu added.
Mihaela also paid tribute to Baumgartner, her partner of more than a decade, honoring the adventurous spirit that defined his life.
“He had an extraordinary life. For over 12 years, I was always by his side during his adventures – the air shows, the helicopter flights, paramotor flying, skydiving, and paragliding. We were inseparable, but his passion separated us – even though he will always be with me. Felix was truly special, in so many ways,” she said.
“I’ll have to overcome the shock, the pain, and those mornings when I’ll make just one coffee instead of two. That, every day, will break my heart,” Rădulescu concluded.