A heart-wrenching video has surfaced, capturing a poignant moment between paraplegic gang rape survivor Noelia Castillo and her father, following her tragic decision to end her life through euthanasia.
The 25-year-old, who was left unable to walk after a suicide attempt in 2022, is seen receiving gentle encouragement from her father, Geronimo Castillo, as she painstakingly takes steps with the aid of forearm crutches. The emotional footage, shared by Spanish news outlet Okdiario, reveals Geronimo’s supportive presence as Noelia rises from a chair.
In the video, Geronimo enthusiastically calls out “Action!” in Spanish, prompting Noelia to push herself upright. She offers a timid smile before concentrating on the ground to guide her cautious steps.
“Be careful — she’s a powerhouse,” Geronimo exclaims with joy as he films her tentative progress. “We’re taking a walk through Badalona. She’s amazing. She’ll be running in no time!”
Conscious of not overwhelming his daughter, Geronimo concludes the video with care.
“Just one minute of recording, no more,” he advises. “Very good, very good. Don’t rush, take it easy.”
“One minute of recording, no more,” he said. “Very good, very good. Don’t rush, take it easy.”
Noelia looked up at the camera once again to blow a kiss and say goodbye, as her dad playfully instructed.
Geronimo was fiercely opposed to Noelia dying by assisted suicide. She underwent the fatal procedure on Thursday at a Barcelona hospital.
She decided to pursue euthanasia in April 2024, explaining that the physical and emotional pain she was grappling with became too much to bear, according to Spanish Antena 3 program “Y Ahora Sonsoles.”
“I don’t feel like doing anything: not going out, not eating. Sleeping is very difficult for me, and I have back and leg pain,” she told the outlet during her final interview.
Noelia, who was diagnosed with OCD and borderline personality disorder, said that she endured great suffering throughout her short life.
She recounted three separate occasions where she was sexually assaulted.
The first was by a then-boyfriend, who she dated for four years, and the second incident happened at a night club when two men reportedly tried to abuse her, she told Antena 3.
She tried to kill herself after the third attack, when she was raped by several men at an entertainment venue.
Here’s the latest on Noelia Castillo, the paraplegic gang-rape victim who died of euthanasia
None of the alleged assailants have been publicly identified.
Her devastated father looked on in horror as she plunged to the ground when she jumped out of a five-story building’s window, she said.
Geronimo fought for years to stop the state from approving Noelia’s assisted suicide.
He was supported by a group called Christian Lawyers and argued that Noelia’s mental illness impaired her ability to make sure a serious decision.
He also accused the Spanish state of “abandoning” his daughter by offering death instead of further psychiatric treatment.
But even after Geronimo made several appeals to various courts, Noelia’s wish was upheld.
“None of my family is in favor of euthanasia. But what about all the pain I’ve suffered during all these years?” Noelia said during her last interview.
“The happiness of a father, a mother, or a sister cannot be more important than the life of a daughter.”
