“It was supposed to be me.”

Those chilling words came from a man who says he narrowly escaped becoming the victim of the same fatal jump that killed 21-year-old Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas after staff allegedly launched her from a 131-foot bridge without attaching the safety rope.

As Brazil’s criminal investigation intensifies, Higor William Diniz Ferreira has revealed how a simple delay on the morning of the event may have saved his life.

Maria died on June 13 during a rope-jumping event at the abandoned Skeleton Bridge in Limeira, São Paulo. Investigators believe organizers failed to connect the main safety cord before throwing her from the platform, causing her to plunge nearly 131 feet to the ground below.

But according to Higor, he was originally supposed to be among the participants jumping before Maria.

“It was divine protection,” he told local broadcaster EPTV. “It was supposed to be me because I was supposed to leave home at 6 a.m. to get there. But I ended up leaving at 6:40.”

That 40-minute delay, he believes, completely changed the order of participants waiting to jump.

“There were maybe five to ten people between me and her. That’s about the amount of time I was late. That’s how she ended up passing in front of me,” he said.

The revelation has added another heartbreaking layer to a tragedy that has shocked Brazil and sparked outrage over alleged safety failures.

Even more disturbing, Higor says he watched several jumps before the fatal accident and noticed a major difference when it came to Maria’s turn.

According to his account, safety checks appeared to be performed normally for other participants.

“All the guys checked whether everything was correct,” he said. “But with the woman, they didn’t check. There were three men, and all three ignored the fact that she was being launched that way.”

Video from the scene appears to support concerns about a catastrophic oversight. Footage shows Maria being lifted and thrown from the bridge while the rope that should have secured her remained lying on the platform. Seconds later, horrified witnesses could be heard screaming, “The rope! The rope!”

Authorities have detained six people in connection with the incident. Three instructors seen handling Maria moments before the jump have been charged with homicide.

Investigators say two of the suspects later claimed they experienced a “blackout” and could not remember exactly when the rope should have been attached or who was responsible for securing it.

The tragedy has also been surrounded by several disturbing details. Maria reportedly posted a now-haunting Instagram message shortly before the jump, writing: “Who was the crazy person who let me jump off a bridge?”

An off-duty nurse who rushed to help after the fall later revealed that Maria was still alive when rescuers reached her and remained conscious for a short period as efforts were made to save her.

Meanwhile, Maria’s fiancé, who witnessed the entire incident, reportedly suffered severe emotional shock and required medical treatment.

For Higor, however, one reality remains impossible to shake. Had he arrived on time that morning, he believes he may have been standing exactly where Maria stood moments before the fatal mistake occurred.

“It was supposed to be me,” he said.