Who was Octavio Couto Da Silva? American Jiu-Jitsu master dies at 52 after falling off a wall in Italy's Lake Como
LAKE COMO, ITALY: World-famous jiu-jitsu expert, Octavio Couto Da Silva died over the weekend after falling off a seawall while attending a friend's wedding in Italy's Lake Como.
On Friday, August 25, 2023, Da Silva, 52, of Dallas, Texas, who was visiting Italy for a wedding, stopped on the way back to his hotel to take a look at a wall that overlooked the lake.
Da Silva, a spouse and the father of one girl, "lost his balance and fell into the lake," according to Italian media, as per Daily Mail.
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Octavio Couto Da Silva was known as 'Ratinho'
Brazilian-born Octavio Couto Da Silva served as a jiu-jitsu instructor, referee, event coordinator, and competitor and was recognized online as a local "legend."
Da Silva leaves behind a wife, a daughter, and hundreds of Jiu-Jitsu students. He is also known by his nickname "Ratinho," which means "little mouse" in Portuguese.
According to BJJ Fanatics, Da Silva was a "world-renowned 6th Degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black belt" who had given up competitive fighting to teach his students.
Athletes like the Vieira brothers, Fernando Terere, and Felipe Costa have credited him with helping to discover and shape their careers.
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In his career as a fighter, he won gold medals at the 1994 Copa Atlantico Sul Championships and the 1993 CBJJ Brazilian National Championships.
According to BJJ Fanatics, Da Silva was one of the original members of Alliance Barra Academy, a dojo with "significant notoriety" in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community.
He eventually resigned from his position with the academy and relocated to the United States in 2007, but he continued to play a vital role in developing martial artists.
According to reports, the 52-year-old also worked as a consultant for academies, traveled the world, and influenced the next generation.
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How did Octavio Couto Da Silva die?
The 52-year-old is believed to have stopped and sat down on the low wall when he lost his balance and fell around 16 feet into the river below.
It is still not confirmed if Da Silva drowned or suffered injuries as a result of the fall.
Investigators think he was drinking all through the wedding at the Villa del Balbianello, but he "appeared to be fine" when he left.
The Jiu-Jitsu champion had taken a taxi boat to Tremezzo, but he got lost because the other members of his party were sleeping at various hotels.
Tributes pour in after Octavio Couto Da Silva's death at 50
Couto's wife Rebecca Da Silva posted a heartbreaking photo of their daughter gazing out at the ocean on Facebook.
Along with the picture of their child, Rebecca wrote on August 25, "There is not much to say right now to erase the pain that so many are feeling."
Others who remembered him on social media described him as a "beloved professor, mentor, and friend."
The late martial art teacher's cousin Rick Knight wroteon Facebook, "You were one of the greatest Jiu Jitsu masterminds, and even better cousin and friend."
"My gym got together to remember you and share stories about him and his life," James Born wrote.
Hunter Crenshaw, a former student, shared a photo of himself with Da Silva and wrote, "Professor was not just a man in a gi. He was a true leader, never showing signs of tyranny but always signs of a warm welcoming community. He helped so many good men/women around me be great men/women."
GoFundMe created for Octavio 'Ratinho' Couto
To assist Couto's wife and daughter, a GoFundMe has been created. The campaign raised a total of $29,460 out of the $25,000 goal and immediately met its target.
The funds will be used to cover the cost of returning Couto's body from Italy to Brazil, where he will be buried. His wife and daughter will receive the extra money.
The GoFundMe fundraiser reads, "Octavio Couto, "Ratinho," was in Italy to celebrate a wedding when a tragic accident occurred. It is with great sadness that his family and friends around the globe struggle to wrap their heads around such a profound loss. He was a father, husband and friend."
It further reads, "A mentor and a professor, a true trailblazer in the art of Jiu Jitsu. This was most unexpected, under unique circumstances, and at a time when Octavio was preparing to transfer his family from Italy to Brazil."