British grandmother dies after falling on dream trip to Brazil
A British grandmother who loved travelling died after falling over on a dream holiday to Brazil.
Shirley Baldry flew out to Rio with her youngest daughter Stephanie last November to visit the Iguaza waterfalls, which form the boundary between Brazil and Argentina.
But on their second day, Shirley, 79, fell over on a metal walkway and broke her left arm.
She was flown to hospital in Rio for an operation to put a pin in her arm, but just days later she died.
An inquest into her death in the UK has now revealed that Shirley had ischaemic heart disease, which caused her death.
But it is thought the shock of the fall could have contributed.
A verdict of accidental death was recorded, and, according to the Daily Mail, pathologist Dr Clive Bloxham, said of the fall: "I am inclined to put it as a contributing factor. It is recent and may have influenced the timing of what is essentially a heart attack."
Ted Baldry, 82, who had been Shirley's partner for 60 years, said they had both wanted to visit Brazil, but he could not, and as Shirley had the air miles she went with their daughter, Stephanie.
Ted told the Chronicle Live: "She had the chance so I said go, it was only meant to be for five to six days.
"When I kissed her goodbye at Kings Cross I did not realise it would be the last time. I got the call from poor Stephanie, she had a hell of a time.
"I loved everything about her, absolutely everything. She was just so important to me and everybody loved her."
Mrs Baldry had been an art teacher, and was a keen fitness fan, often running along the beach with her dog, and going for 10-mile long walks. Mr Baldry said she had never shown any signs of being out of breath or of having health problems.
Mr Baldry added: "We did everything together, that was the thing. We went to Japan and India - she had been when she was 18 but had not seen the Taj Mahal. We also went to New Zealand.
"When we were younger we enjoyed going camping on the continent with the kids, we went to Switzerland all the time, we knew it inside out. She also loved the art galleries, she would see four in a morning when we went to London."
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