The pressure to post amazing photos on Instagram is real, but in this tragic story, one teen went too far to capture a stunning image.
Andrey Retrovsky, 17, climbed to the top of a building in Vologda, Russia, with a friend in hopes of snapping a photo that made it appear as if he was falling from the roof. He was secured with a rope, but when the rope failed, Andrey plunged nine stories to the ground. His fall was slightly cushioned by bushes, but local Russian media outlets reported he died from extensive injuries two hours later while being treated at a hospital.
Andrey was a thrill-seeker who loved scaling buildings and balancing on ledges to stage terrifying shots.
In Andrey's native Russia, a group of teens known as "Roofers" bond over taking daring Instagrams from the roofs of high-rise buildings, often after sneaking in illegally. The photos might be breathtaking, but selfie-related injuries and deaths in Russia are now on the rise. In the past year alone, 10 Russians died and more than 100 were injured while taking selfies. These scary stats prompted the Russian government to launch the Safe Selfie campaign, which features the tagline, "even a million likes on social media are not worth your life."
This incident is an awful reminder to stay safe, and to keep an eye out for your friends' safety, too. No one should ever risk their life for the sake of a photo.
Hannah Orenstein is the author of several novels, including Meant to Be Mine (out June 7, 2022), Head Over Heels, Love at First Like, and Playing with Matches. She's also the Deputy Editor of Dating at Elite Daily. She lives in Brooklyn.
