A Dundee businessman says he is “broken” after his brother’s body was reportedly found at the bottom of cliffs in Italy.
Dale Harper launched a search for brother Steven, 38, after he failed to contact anyone from late November while cycling in and around Monaco.
Dale, who runs a CBD holistic shop on Cowgate in Dundee, travelled to the continent in December to help look for Steven.
He feared his brother may have come to harm after eating wild mushrooms as part of a meal.
Now, in a Facebook post, Dale has confirmed his brother’s body was found following an apparent fall from cliffs – just an hour after he sent his last message to a relative.
Steven Harper ‘made small but deadly mistake’
He wrote: “Steven wasn’t foraging for food because he was hungry and had no money.
“Steven actually had enough money on him to have eaten out for a few nights along the coast.
“He truly wanted to live off the land as much as possible and he made a small but deadly mistake.
“We are still waiting on the toxicology report but from the evidence we have it seems most likely that Steven had felt delirious due to the toxins, lost balance and fell with his belongings.”
Dale told The Courier: “I am proud of him but I am just so broken knowing he’s not there any more.”
Steven had embarked on a cycling trip from Scotland to India before his passing.
Dale said he took “comfort” knowing his brother had been doing something he loved.
He added: “We went through almost everything together.
“I take comfort in knowing he was doing what he wanted to do, wasn’t wanting for anything, was surrounded by people in his last moments in a place he always said he had wanted to die… somewhere beautiful and it doesn’t get much more beautiful than where he is now.”
Steven leaves behind two children along with Dale, sister Kirstie in Australia and brother Ryan in South Africa.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed it was supporting Steven’s family.
A spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British national who died in Italy and are in contact with the local authorities.”
