An influencer, who died suddenly at the age of 31, has been mourned by the horses she saved from abuse.
Footage appears to show the animals crying in their stable and appearing distressed at the sight of Elena Larrea’s coffin.
Larrea died of a pulmonary embolism on Tuesday (19 Mar).
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She was best known for her animal activism and the Cuacolandia horse sanctuary she founded seven years ago.
She also became a star on OnlyFans after joining the adult platform to help save the shelter in Atlixco, located southeast of the Mexican capital, Mexico City, from financial ruin.
A private wake was held for Larrea at Cuacolandia on Wednesday (20 Mar).
Only a small group of loved ones and her rescued animals were present at the wake.
A video shows several scenes from the farewell.
One sad image shows a horse approaching her coffin to apparently say goodbye.
Captions read: “Now Igor is crying like this, and the others are also sobbing with sadness.
“A cry that touches you to the soul.
“Now there’s no need to tell them, they already know.
“They feel in their hearts the absence of the one who loved them for the first ever time.
“And they had the chance to say their last goodbye to you.
“Divo knows that no one will ride him like you did.”
After the wake, Larrea’s coffin was reportedly transferred to Mexico City for burial.
She founded Cuacolandia in 2017 for horses, donkeys, mules, and other equines that had either suffered abuse or been abandoned.
Larrea launched an OnlyFans page during the Covid-19 pandemic, explaining at the time: “I started to have more and more post-pandemic economic issues.
“The truth is that it went very badly for me.
“I was already considering closing the sanctuary and finding homes for the horses.
“Friends started telling me ‘You should open an OnlyFans, what if it goes well?’
“As I was in crisis, I said ‘Look, I’m going to open one and see if it hits’.”
Luckily, the activist’s page ended up saving the sanctuary from certain doom.
Today, Cuacolandia is home to nearly 50 animals and has helped hundreds more.
Before her death, Elena said: “I have always loved horses very much, I have been riding horses since I was a little girl.
“When I grew up, I had the opportunity to give something back to the horses after all they had given me so I decided to open the Cuacolandia sanctuary.”
State governor Sergio Salomón said: “I deeply regret the death of Elena Larrea, a tireless fighter for the defence of animal welfare.
“The rescue of thousands of abused horses is testimony to her life and work.
“On behalf of the Puebla Government, we would like to express our solidarity to her family and friends.
“With the Ministry of the Environment, we can guarantee the protection of the animals at Cuacolandia.
“We will provide all the necessary help so other horses are cared for by the authorities as well as those already rescued, prioritising their wellbeing at all times.
“We will follow your example. Rest in peace, Elena.”
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