So far, the articles on this site have been organized as follows:
1. Background and Family Context (Before 1985)
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Origins: Ivo Bosaja Simon is born at the beginning of World War II. Years later, he meets Tereza Neuma Bezerra at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). Despite medical diagnoses of infertility, the couple conceives five children.
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Children's Births: Adriana (the eldest) is born, followed by Fábio (who undergoes serious intestinal surgery). Then twins Marco Aurélio and Marco Antônio are born, spending months in incubators and facing motor difficulties. Finally, Patrícia is born.
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Marco Aurélio's Profile: The young boy has strabismus and severe visual limitations (5% vision in one eye and 40% in the other).
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Joining Scouting: Influenced by a family friend, the children join scouting. Marco Aurélio and his siblings become part of the Olivetano Scout Group (founded in 1979).
2. Preparation for the Expedition (1984 – March 1985)
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The Invitation: In 1984, the group receives an invitation to camp at Pico dos Marins. In March 1985, the challenge is reaffirmed among the leaders.
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Withdrawals: Originally, the expedition was planned to have many participants (estimates vary from 17 to 100 people). However, on the eve of the event, almost everyone withdraws, including Mr. Ivo and the senior scout leader.
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The Final Patrol: Only Chief Juan Bernabeu Céspedes (36 years old) and four teenagers remain: Marco Aurélio, Osvaldo, Ricardo, and Ramatis.
3. Departure and Camp (June 5 and 6, 1985)
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Wednesday (06/05): Chief Juan stays overnight at the Simon family's house. At dinner, Mr. Ivo advises Juan to climb the mountain only with a local guide.
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Thursday (06/06):
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Morning: The group heads to Santana Terminal and boards a bus to Lorena-SP at 7:00 AM. On the bus, a vote is held for patrol leader; Ricardo wins, and Marco Aurélio shows displeasure.
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Afternoon: The group arrives in Piquete-SP and is taken to Refúgio dos Marins (Mr. Afonso's house). The local guide is not hired. The group sets up camp, bathes in the icy river, and prepares the first meal.
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4. Stay at the Base Camp (June 7, 1985, Friday)
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Morning: Upon waking, they notice their belongings have been disturbed (empty cans, missing eggs, and boots out of place).
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Activities: Marco Aurélio washes dishes in the intense cold, needing massages and newspapers to warm his hands. The group goes for hikes and discusses topics like pyramids and flying saucers.
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Night: The "Council Fire" takes place. A new election is held, and this time, Marco Aurélio is chosen as leader. The group goes to sleep at 9:00 PM.
5. The Day of the Disappearance (June 8, 1985, Saturday)
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6:00 AM – 9:00 AM: The group wakes up. Two groups of hikers pass by the base camp and offer company; Juan declines, opting to leave later.
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9:00 AM – 1:00 PM: The ascent begins. The group takes a wrong turn early on, becoming exhausted before reaching Morro do Careca. Marco Aurélio starts to show fatigue and falls behind at times.
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Afternoon (The Accident): After passing Cruz de Ferro, scout Osvaldo injures his knee. The ascent to the summit is aborted.
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2:30 PM – 2:40 PM (The Separation): Marco Aurélio offers to go ahead to clear the path and seek help, taking chalk to mark the rocks with the number "240". He moves ahead of the group.
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The Last Trace: The rest of the group slowly advances with the injured scout and sees the chalk markings. At the "Portal," Juan decides to follow to the right, diverging from the path indicated by Marco Aurélio (left). Marco Aurélio is no longer seen.
6. The Survival Night (Night of June 8-9)
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Lost: Juan and the three scouts become completely disoriented during the descent in 0°C cold.
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Early Morning (06/09): Around 3:00 AM, the group reaches Mr. Filinho's house (the Minas Gerais side of the mountain). At 5:00 AM, they finally manage to return to Refúgio dos Marins.
7. Initial Searches and the Light Incident (June 9, 1985, Sunday)
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6:30 AM – 10:30 AM: Juan goes out alone to search for Marco Aurélio, without success.
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10:30 AM: Chief Paulinho arrives with a Kombi to pick them up. Upon learning of the disappearance, he initiates informal searches with other volunteers, but without notifying the authorities.
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5:15 PM: The police are finally notified. An intense storm interrupts the search efforts.
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Night: At Mr. Afonso's house, the group reports hearing shouts and whistles coming from the woods, as well as spotting a bluish light that flickered. The police are contacted by phone only between 10:00 PM and 11:00 PM.
8. Operation Marins (June 10, 1985, Monday)
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Official Start: At 10:00 AM, Lieutenant Airton Ribeiro of the Military Police arrives at the scene. "Operation Marins" begins, one of the largest search mobilizations in Brazil, which would last over a month, without ever locating Marco Aurélio's whereabouts.
