A Brazilian man organizes his own funeral to see who will attend, but it does not go well

It all started on January 16, with a photo on social media of 60-year-old Baltazar Lemos from Curitiba, Brazil, with the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo in the background. A day later, exciting news appeared on the same social media. “We have left Balthazar Lemos at the beginning of this sad afternoon,” the statement read. “More information follows.” Family and friends fell from the sky and could hardly believe what they read.

But his cousin didn’t want to wait that long. He went to the hospital and was told that Balthazar Lemos had not been admitted. “They told me that hackers have tried before to take over people’s social media, pretend they are dead and scam family and friends,” the cousin posted on social media. But this seems to be a misunderstanding. Since Lemos’ account is filled with sweet messages and people grieving his passing, there is still a lot of confusion. Attempts to find out what happened to him failed.

I wake up

The confusion of those who did not believe turned to sadness when a vigil was announced for the Brazilian, also on social media. Friends and family found a beautifully decorated room full of flowers. Then came the voice of Lemos, telling of the life he had led. People wept en masse, writing to a Brazilian media that was there, thinking they were listening to a recording.

Until suddenly the altar doors opened and Lemos entered, safe and sound. Disbelief in the room. some wept or laughed, others hugged him, and anger was evident here and there. Even his relatives turned against Lemos. Even when he explains why he did it, what’s left is mostly disappointment and anger.

Snoop plan

What happened? For Moss, 60, who has professionally presided over many ceremonies and funerals, he just wanted to know who would come after him. And there was a nefarious plan in advance: he had sent out invitations to many people a few days earlier for a party for his sixtieth birthday, which was to take place a few days later.

“I came up with the idea five months ago,” he told the Brazilian newspaper. Otempo. “I wanted to know who was coming to my health, not just my birthday. I didn’t tell anyone because I thought it would work out so well. I really didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I apologise.”

Really dead

On social media and in Otempo Many people are angry at what Lemos did. “What a silly joke,” one wrote. Even relatives and friends spit out bile. Someone says: “For me, he really died on January 17th.” Judging by the testimonials, many people think this way.