A Long Obsession With Big Cats
Gerson’s death has drawn attention not only because of the harrowing circumstances, but also because it followed years of fixation on lions and Africa.
According to local child protection workers, Gerson grew up in state care and had a long history of mental health challenges. Social worker Veronica Oliveira, who supported him for around eight years, said he often talked about wanting to live among lions and “tame” them.
At one point, she recalled, he was caught trying to reach Africa by climbing into the landing gear compartment of a plane in an attempt to “go on safari” and look after lions.
“I thanked God when the airport warned me they’d seen a teenager inside the landing gear compartment on the cameras before a tragedy happened,” Oliveira said in a video posted online.
She explained that his childhood was marked by poverty and untreated mental illness, noting that his mother had schizophrenia and other close relatives also struggled with mental health conditions. “He should have been in treatment,” she added.
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