TORONTO – The wife of a Argentine journalist who died in a car crash Wednesday in Brazil reportedly learned of his death on Twitter.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone shared his condolences on the social media network after learning that Jorge ‘El Topo’ Lopez, 38, was killed when the taxi he was travelling in was hit by a stolen car being chased by police.
Simeone tweeted : ‘He was not only a great journalist, he was also a friend. Much pain. My condolences to @verobrunati and family. RIP Jorge ‘Topo’ Lopez.’
A moment later, Lopez’s wife Veronica Brunati, who appeared to be unaware of the news tweeted “no,” before going on to say: “Diego, don’t tell me that. Please, someone call me. I’m in a hotel in San Pablo in the Quality.”
Many on social media began to share their anger toward authorities for not informing Brunati of her husband’s death before it was made public.
READ MORE: Woman unwittingly live-tweets husband’s fatal car crash
Hours later, Brunati began to share her memories of her husband, calling him a wonderful husband, father and journalist.
— jose luis #76.310 (@josebolso84) July 9, 2014
Argentina’s Lionel Messi also dedicated his team’s World Cup semifinal win against Netherlands to Lopez.
“I’m sending a big, big hug to the whole of Argentina and a souvenir to Jorge ‘Topo’ Lopez, this victory is especially also for you, my friend,” he wrote on Facebook. “A big hug to the family and lots of encouragement.”
Lopez is the second journalist to have been killed in a car crash while covering the World Cup in Brazil. Last week, Argentine reporter Maria Soledad Fernandez, 26, died after the car she was travelling with collided with another vehicle and fell off a cliff.
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