Tragedy in pursuit of a dream: Man, 71, falls to his death digging for 'hidden treasure' under his home

The fire brigade in Minas Gerais stated that the tragic event happened on a Thursday afternoon around 12:35 pm Eastern Time. The saga began a year ago when the man dreamed that a "spirit" revealed the buried treasure's location to him — under his kitchen floor. His dream convinced him so much that he sold nearly all his assets to purchase mining equipment for the excavation.

Silva dug a hole around 3 feet in diameter and at least 131 feet deep. The services that arrived at the scene of the tragedy were astonished by his ability to dig "such a stable and nearly perfect hole," roughly the depth of a thirteen-story building.

Silva, supposedly experienced in well digging, even hired several assistants. "At first, they received 70 reais ($12) a day, but the deeper they dug, the more he paid them," a neighbor told the newspaper O Globo.

According to the neighbor, the 71-year-old man recently encountered a large rock that was difficult to remove. Reportedly, he started seeking dynamite to deal with the obstacle.

Regrettably, the entire treasure-hunting operation ended disastrously. On a Thursday afternoon, while lowered into the hole using a makeshift lift similar to a child's swing, Silva slipped and plummeted to the well's bottom.

After services retrieved the body, they reported multiple organ injuries, open fractures in both his legs, a hip fracture, a laceration to the abdomen and torso, widespread abrasions, and immediately confirmed his death.