The tragic passing of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson, who was visiting Florida’s ICON Park with his family, has shaken the nation as a graphic video of the accident went viral.
His father found out about his son’s death through this video that he saw posted online, resulting in an immense amount of pain and suffering for his family after such a sudden loss.
These events make us reflect on the importance of safety measures to prevent these unfortunate events from occurring again; luckily, ICON Park is investigating its safety precautions.
ICON Park in Orlando, Florida is known for its extreme rides, the most notorious being its free fall ride.
The experience takes riders up more than 400 feet before sending them plummeting to the ground at speeds of over 75 mph.
This week, 14-year-old Jaxon Woodard was among those brave enough to go on the ride – unfortunately, it cost him his life.
He’d gone with a friend from his football team as part of their spring break celebrations when tragedy struck; Woodard sustained severe injuries and died soon afterwards.
His story serves as a stark reminder to be careful when taking risks on thrill rides like this one.
The news was abruptly delivered to Tyre’s father, Yarnell Sampson, after he discovered a graphic online video of the devastating accident.
Mr. Sampson expressed his sorrow to NBC affiliate WESH and spoke of wishing that he could have been there for his son.
He seeks answers from the park regarding the events leading up to the 14-year-old’s death and for what could have been done differently to prevent it.
It is uncertain whether the tragedy could have been averted or not, but it is without a doubt that this grief-stricken family will never forget their beloved Tyre.
“The incalculable, unquantifiable loss due to a ride in an amusement park is the reality that continues to plague grieving parents everywhere.
Especially poignant is how this tragedy has uniquely touched one father who voiced: ‘I want to know what happened to my son. I want to know why he can’t walk back home, but must be shipped back in a white bag.’
An emotional reminder of how life’s greatest gifts can sometimes be cut short with far-reaching repercussions.
The complex healing process can never be complete: ‘It felt like somebody hit me so hard in my stomach. I just lost, I lost, [and] lost wind.’
No amount of money or objects could replace the stolen moments from a child’s bright future.
Answers should be sought and restitution should be given for the continuous pain inflicted by such a heartbreaking turn of events.”
Tyre was an inspiring success story; in middle school, he had already become a football recruit. His father reported, “Tyre was 6’5 and 340 pounds [154kg], so he’s a big guy.”
He was exploring several high schools and appeared to have a bright future ahead of him when his life was tragically cut short.
His family is accompanied by prominent lawyers, Ben Crump and Bob Hilliard, in demanding justice for their son and repercussions for the ride that caused the accident.
The family has pushed for the permanent closure of the ride and seeks answers on how such a tragedy could occur.
The heartbreaking news about Tyre highlighted an issue that, unfortunately, plagues theme park safety regulations.
After being denied access to two park rides due to his size, which was 50 pounds over the FreeFall limit – a final ride attempt ended tragically when the teen’s harness was found in a down and locked position.
A memorial has been set up at ICON Park in tribute to Tyre’s memory, with people leaving balloons to remember him.
This tragedy is a striking reminder of why safety measures should be thoroughly monitored and enforced to prevent similar accidents from occurring again in the future.