Mom, Who Was Holding Out Hope Her Son, 16, Was Alive After Ski Resort Fire, Announces His Death: ‘We Can Start Our Mourning’

Just after midnight on New Year’s Day, 16-year-old Arthur Brodard sent his mother a simple message: “Happy New Year, Mum, I love you.” It would be the last time she heard from him.

Arthur was among the victims of a devastating fire that tore through Le Constellation, a crowded bar at the Crans-Montana ski resort in Switzerland, killing 40 people and injuring 119 others. He had been attending New Year’s Eve celebrations when the blaze erupted.

In the hours and days following the fire, Arthur’s mother, Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, clung to the hope that her son might have survived with injuries and remained unidentified. As of Friday, Jan. 2, authorities had not yet confirmed his fate, according to the Associated Press.

That hope ended the following evening, when Laetitia learned that her teenage son was among those who had died.

“Our Arthur has now left to party in paradise,” she said in an emotional Facebook video, translated from French by AP. “We can start our mourning, knowing that he is in peace and in the light.”

The scale of the tragedy complicated identification efforts, as the severity of the burns made it difficult for officials to quickly confirm victims’ identities. Families, including Laetitia and her relatives, provided DNA samples to assist investigators. By the evening of Sunday, Jan. 4, Swiss authorities had identified all those who lost their lives, AP reported.

Laetitia later expressed gratitude to those who reached out with messages of compassion and support.

Before confirmation of Arthur’s death, she spoke publicly about the anguish of not knowing her son’s fate. On Friday evening, she told reporters she was “looking everywhere,” according to AP. “The body of my son is somewhere,” she said. “I want to know where my child is and be by his side — whether that is in the intensive care unit or the morgue.”

Her frustration grew as the days passed. In an interview with French broadcaster BFM TV the following day, she said parents were becoming exhausted and increasingly angry over the lack of answers.

After announcing her son’s death, Laetitia shared another message on Facebook saying she would no longer give interviews, having finally learned what happened to Arthur.

According to CNN, she had previously said her son had reserved a large table with friends to celebrate his upcoming 17th birthday before heading to Le Constellation for the New Year’s Eve festivities.

Investigators believe the fire was likely caused by sparklers placed in wine bottles that came too close to the bar’s ceiling, igniting the blaze, AP reported. Authorities are also examining whether the venue met safety regulations at the time of the incident.

Swiss officials have opened a criminal investigation into two bar managers, who have not been publicly identified. They are suspected of involuntary homicide, involuntary bodily harm, and involuntarily causing a fire, according to AP.