A Brazilian motorcyclist has died after being slashed in the neck by a kite string coated in wax while driving full speed.
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Cleuson Andrade Viana, 39, was left sitting on the roadside with blood spewing from his neck after the string coated with a glassy mixture slashed his throat.
According to local outlet G1, Viana was hit by a kite string coated with "cerol" — a mixture of glue and other abrasives used in competitive kite fighting — while traveling in the Paraíso neighborhood in Santana.
The substance is known to increase a wire's sharpness and cutting ability, and it is prohibited under local laws.
The outlet added that the incident happened at around 6:20 p.m. local time on Tuesday, June 30.
Witnesses rushed to his aid and tried to pull the string off. However, due to the sharp coating, bystanders were unable to remove the kite string.
Viana, a father and husband, eventually succumbed to his injuries.
Lieutenant Ângelo Silva told G1 that an increased number of people fly kites in the summer. Despite it being illegal to fly kites within 200 meters of the electrical network, some do so anyway, according to the Municipality of Santana.
Family Describes Cleuson Viana as a Family Man
For the tragic loss of life, Viana's mother is seeking accountability for those responsible.
"I want justice, because it was the life of a family man, a hardworking man, that took a piece of my heart, of my life. My son was everything to me. My son was my life," said the heartbroken mother.
Viana's wife, Lenice Moreira, described her husband in an interview with G1 as "an exceptional guy" and a "loving father."
Moreira also spoke about the danger of kite flying and the devastation caused by her husband's preventable death.
"I have a 16-year-old son, and I don't let him fly kites. Because I know it's not healthy," Moreira told the outlet in a translated post. "Other parents need to have the same attitude. Today, my children lost their father, my mother-in-law lost her son, my siblings lost their brother. We are experiencing a grief that wounds and hurts everyone's hearts."
