Heartthrob from the 90s died on Monday (23), after living for decades with the after-effects of a robbery suffered on the Ayrton Senna Highway
A, aged 66, this Monday (23), rekindles the memory of one of the most memorable episodes in the actor’s career. In 1998, at the height of his fame, Gerson was victim of a violent robbery what not only interrupted his artistic trajectoryas well as completely changed your life.
At the time, Brenner was at the height of popularity to the playing Jorginho in the soap opera “Corpo Dourado”consolidating himself as one of the well-known faces of national dramaturgy.
The tragedy on the road
In the early hours of August 17, 1998, the actor drove from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro, where he would record the final scenes of the soap opera “Corpo Dourado”. During the journey, on the Ayrton Senna Highway, near Guararema (SP), he was surprised by a trap.
Criminals had spread stones on the road to force drivers to stop. When passing through the stretch, Brenner had two blown car tires e was forced to pull over to the side of the road.
Alone and in the early hours of the morning, he got out of the vehicle to change the tire. It was at that moment that it ended approached by armed robbers.
The shot that changed everything
According to investigations, there was a fight. During the action, one of the criminals shot the actor at close range. The shot, from a .380 caliber pistol, hit your head.
And she packed passed through the left side of the brain e was lodged near the back of the head. Brenner was found by drivers passing by on the highway and rescued in a very serious condition.
He was admitted to a hospital in deep comacom paralysis on the right side of the bodyand underwent surgery before being transferred to Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, where the projectile was removed.
Survival and permanent sequelae
Despite having survived, Gerson Brenner never resumed his career. Or shot caused severe brain damagecompromising essential functions such as he speaks, cognition e mobility.
The actor began to live with important limitationsincluding difficulties getting around, know how to communicate e know how to feedin addition to depend on constant care.
At the time of the crime, he was awaiting the birth of his daughter Vitóriaas a result of his relationship with Denise Tacto. Brenner was also the father of another daughter from a previous relationship.
Criminals arrested and motivation for the crime
Os Those responsible for the attack were arrested a few days later. Young people between 19 and 25 years old, they confessed that they used the tactic of scattering stones on the road to cause accidents e facilitate robberies.
According to reports, the group got scared during the action and fled without taking valuableseven with money, jewelry and checks inside the actor’s car.
Long recovery and life after the tragedy
After the attack, Brenner faced a longo e difficult rehabilitation process. Over the years, he underwent several hospitalizations and experienced episodes of seizures and clinical complications.
He lived in São Paulo under the care of his wife, Marta Mendonça, whom he married years later and who accompanied him throughout his treatment.
Even away from the spotlight, the actor remained linked to social causes, especially those related to the rehabilitation and inclusion of people with disabilities, a reality that he came to know firsthand.
Lifetime health plan paid by Globo
After the attack that interrupted his career, Gerson Brenner had the support of TV Globo, which maintained his lifelong health plan.
The information had already been highlighted by family members at different times. In 2016, the actor’s daughter, Victória Brenner, came to the broadcaster’s defense on social media, stating that her father had guaranteed assistance. Years later, in an interview with the newspaper Extra, his wife, Marta Mendonça, also reinforced that the agreement allowed him to have access to constant medical caredespite the high costs of treatment.
“Every 15 days, he also undergoes a medical evaluation. The costs are high, but he has a lifetime agreement with Globo and can be well looked after. As far as possible, we have a normal life”, said Marta
The actor lived for decades with frequent monitoring, including support from healthcare professionals e periodic assessmentswhich contributed to maintaining his quality of life within the limitations imposed by the sequelae.
A career interrupted at its peak
The attack prevented Gerson Brenner from recording the ending of Corpo Dourado, forcing the production to adapt the plot. Castmates and the public followed the case with emotion, which quickly gained national attention.
More than two decades later, the story remains one of the most emblematic episodes of urban violence involving public figures in Brazil and as the milestone that abruptly interrupted the trajectory of one of the television heartthrobs of the 1990s.
*With information from Estadão Conteúdo
