“Stephen’s body has been found in Italy and the search has ended in heartbreaking results,” he said in a Facebook post.
“He had enough resources to survive, but he may have made a fatal mistake with the mushrooms.
“His death is believed to have been caused by a fall from a cliff, possibly due to disorientation caused by the mushroom toxin.
“I ended up grappling with his loss, the responsibility of identifying his body, and the realization of his final moments in the place he loved.”
“Live your best life to the fullest”
Dale said an Italian police report concluded that Stephen died after falling off a cliff on November 23, an hour after his last message.
He was seen falling and nearby workers rushed to his aid. A helicopter was immediately dispatched, but he died from internal bleeding caused by the fall.
His ID was stolen at the beginning of his trip during a robbery while cycling through Barcelona.
His brother added: “We are still waiting for the toxicology report, but based on the evidence we have, the toxin caused Stephen to become disoriented, lose his balance and fall with his belongings. “That seems most likely,” he added.
“It was comforting to know that he was doing what he wanted to do, that he didn’t want anything, and that in his final moments he was surrounded by people in the place he always said he wanted to die.”
Stephen’s mother, Angela Bear, also paid tribute to him on Facebook.
she said: “The journey of our beautiful and adventurous son has come to an end. Stephen is living his best life to the fullest, rejoicing in every step he takes and every life he touches. Ta.”
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the British man’s family and are liaising with local authorities.”