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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Teenager that tragically died in Orlando

278 replies

Pointlesspolice · 25/03/2022 20:59

I have just looked at the Daily Fail headlines and a 14 year old has fallen from a ride and sadly died . Absolutely shocking and the poor guy wasn’t properly strapped in …he was overweight and was probably too embarrassed to get assistance with his seatbelt.
I am absolutely sickened by the comments from people,racist and fat shaming…where do these vile people get their thoughts from ? I despair 😞

OP posts:
Thedogscollar · 25/03/2022 21:12

Oh God that's so sad. Was this in Disney World as they are usually so stringent with safety on their rides.
Yes I agree there are some horrible people in this world.
Poor kid and his family truly shocking.

PinkiOcelot · 25/03/2022 21:13

Ahhhh I hadn’t heard about that. Tragic.

Horcruxe · 25/03/2022 21:14

Theres a photo. And you can tell the harness hadnt locked into place

Quartz2208 · 25/03/2022 21:14

ITs awful isnt it that it happened on such a new ride.

No not Disney - Icon Park which is off International Drive - has a London Eye Equilvalent/Madame Tussauds/Sea Life and a Star Flyer ride plus this one

PattyMelt · 25/03/2022 21:14

OMG poor kid and his family. That's a nightmare falling from a ride.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 25/03/2022 21:14

No it wasn't Disney.

SophieSoSo · 25/03/2022 21:16

I saw the same article and the comments are disgusting.

Yes it looks like his harness wasn’t fastened/checked sadly, unless it was checked after the photo was taken.

AbsentmindedWoman · 25/03/2022 21:17

Oh no, that is horrific. The poor kid, he must have been so scared Sad

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 25/03/2022 21:21

Someone's posted a video of it on Twitter. Absolutely fucking disgusting. Why do people think it's ok to post shit like this?

(I haven't watched it, I've just seen it posted and read some of the comments)

Gowithme · 25/03/2022 21:21

Only 14! They are normally check everyone is strapped in, I wonder what happened here? Were the riders supposed to fasten themselves in? It seems whoever was checking didn't notice. How awful :-(

romystar · 25/03/2022 21:35

And the usual almost gloating headlines, ‘UNBUCKLED’ in caps etc

FabFitFifties · 25/03/2022 21:36

Very sad. I worry about those rides for very thin people too. To know you are falling to your death, even if only for seconds 😢To watch it happen to your child is unimaginable.

Littlepaws18 · 25/03/2022 21:37

The comments are shocking, there's the obvious it's the boys fault for being overweight comments and then the poor boy he was too overweight. This is victim blaming.

His death is result of negligence. The ride operator should have checked and secured his harness and belt or if he/she deemed the boy unsafe in the seat they should have asked him to get off. This should never of happened. It's not down to the boy to assess safety, risk and check that he is secured safely in.

His weight is not a factor in this negligence.

Florenz · 25/03/2022 21:37

Parks like this are very badly run, the people running the rides are not properly trained and are very poorly paid, the onus is on getting people on and off the ride to keep the queue flowing, not on people's safety, I am honestly surprised there are not more accidents.

1000yellowdaisies · 25/03/2022 21:38

Its so so sad, the poor boy. Try not to read the comments section, the DM comments section tends to attract the dross

Ionsion · 25/03/2022 21:39

Wow, I’m disgusted that 15% of people have voted YABU

XenoBitch · 25/03/2022 21:42

I went to EuroDisney years back as a school kid. One of my peers went on a coaster that was loop the loop etc. They didn't properly check her buckle or the whole head rest thing. She was still trying to get it to jam in place once the ride was already moving.
I am not surprised this happened. It is often teens that are running the rides too.

BoodleBug51 · 25/03/2022 21:47

I was a chubby teenager and went to Alton Towers once with a group of friends. I didn't feel at all confident on one of the rides as I didn't feel the brace was holding me down, and although the operator assurred me it was OK, I ended up getting off as I just didn't feel safe.

To think of the height that kid dropped from makes me feel sick. It's very apparent that he wasn't locked in.

BooksAndHooks · 25/03/2022 21:49

@Gowithme

Only 14! They are normally check everyone is strapped in, I wonder what happened here? Were the riders supposed to fasten themselves in? It seems whoever was checking didn't notice. How awful :-(
I have seen part of the video before it happens and it appears the ride operator is distracted talking to the people on the ride in front of him, ironically discussing the seatbelts and he doesn’t seem to go to the group to the left to check the seat belts. Whether or not he did before or after I don’t know as I obviously didn’t want to watch the full video.
AtleastitsnotMonday · 25/03/2022 21:50

@FabFitFifties

Very sad. I worry about those rides for very thin people too. To know you are falling to your death, even if only for seconds 😢To watch it happen to your child is unimaginable.
I have stopped going on these rides for precisely this reason. I’m significantly under weight and simply do not feel safe. I’m lifted out of my seat or feel I’m slipping under the harness.

This case is absolutely tragic. I hope it serves as a massive wake up call to the whole industry.

Hospedia · 25/03/2022 21:50

That poor bairn and his poor family, imagine waving your kid off on a night at the fair with his mates and then he never comes home again. Heartbreaking Sad

I hope there's a thorough investigation and lessons are learned to ensure this never happens again. Safety should be paramount and all harnesses should be individually checked.

Riseholme · 25/03/2022 21:54

Very upsetting.
The poor lad.

newgymmy · 25/03/2022 21:54

This is just horrendous.

He must have known he wasn't strapped in therefore did he know what was going to happen? Imagine the terror.

dottyshihtzu · 25/03/2022 21:56

The ride, the Orlando Free Fall, opened in December 2021, stands at 430ft tall and can accommodate up to 30 people.

It plunges to the ground at 75 miles per hour and rotates around a central tower as it rises.

After it reaches the top, riders tilt forward and face the ground briefly before free-falling at approximately 75 miles per hour

Fucking hell :(

14 years old. What a tragic, needless loss of a young life.

Darbs76 · 25/03/2022 21:57

Absolutely horrific. Can’t believe people are sharing the video too. I would hate to come across it. These parks are always operated by young kids who don’t have much training. I know that in U.K. parks staff do go round checking harnesses etc, don’t know if that happened there but guessing not. Poor kid and poor family