A young professional gymnast, Natalie Stichova, tragically lost her life while visiting the iconic Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany. The 23-year-old Czech athlete was taking a selfie near the castle, which served as the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, when the accident occurred on August 15th.
Natalie fell approximately 80 meters from Tegelberg Mountain as she was trying to capture the perfect Instagram picture. According to a friend who was with her, Natalie had ventured too close to the edge of the mountain and slipped. It is unclear whether she simply lost her footing or if a piece of the rock edge broke off.
Although Natalie survived the fall, she sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to the hospital. Tragically, her family was forced to make the heartbreaking decision to remove her from life support a few days later due to irreversible brain damage. Natalie passed away on August 21st.
Natalie’s gymnastics club, Sokol Pribram Sports Gymnastics, expressed their shock and grief over the loss of their talented athlete and coach. They described Natalie as a wonderful friend who always brought smiles to those around her. The club extended their deepest condolences to Natalie’s family and close friends, offering them strength and support during this difficult time. As a way to honor Natalie’s memory, the club invited others to light a candle at their gymnasium.
Natalie’s mother, grieving the loss of her beloved daughter, spoke highly of Natalie’s character, saying, “There is no one who didn’t love her. Our Natálie was the sweetest person.”
This tragic incident is not the first of its kind to occur at Neuschwanstein Castle. In a separate and unrelated incident, Troy Bohling, a 31-year-old man from Michigan State, USA, committed a heinous crime in June of the previous year. He raped and murdered a 21-year-old woman, Eva Liu, and then threw Eva and her friend, Kelsey Chang, 23, off a ravine near the castle. While Kelsey survived the fall and received medical attention, Eva succumbed to her injuries and unfortunately did not survive. Troy Bohling was later convicted of murder and rape and sentenced to life in prison in March of this year.
The Bavarian police reported that Troy Bohling had lured the two women to the viewing point before carrying out his horrendous attack. He led them to a trail that was difficult to see, and once they were isolated, he proceeded to assault them. Eva’s friend, Kelsey, bravely tried to intervene but was choked by the suspect and pushed down the slope.
These heartbreaking incidents serve as a reminder that even in beautiful and popular tourist destinations, we must always prioritize safety and exercise caution.
