ST. LOUIS — On March 24, 2022, a 14-year-old boy from St. Louis County slid off from the world's tallest free-standing drop tower in Orlando, Florida. His family remembers him as a gentle giant.
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During the ride, the 14-year-old “slipped through the gap between the seat and harness,” according to the state report. It concluded that “the cause of the accident was that Tyre Sampson was not properly secured in the seat.” The autopsy report said Tyre died from blunt force trauma.
Tyre's death garnered national attention and cast new scrutiny on amusement park rides and their safety measures. He suffered broken bones and internal injuries in the fall, according to his autopsy, and his death was ruled accidental. Tyre weighed 383 pounds, per the autopsy, above the ride limit of about 285 pounds.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Standing in front of the Orlando Free Fall drop tower where her 14-year-old son Tyre Sampson lost his life nearly a year ago, Nekia Dodd and her lawyer announced Wednesday they had reached a settlement with ride owner Orlando Slingshot and landlord ICON Park in the civil lawsuit over Tyre's death.
Sampson, who was 340 pounds and stood 6 feet 5 inches tall, was denied entry to other rides at the park, his father, Yarnell Sampson said, adding that his son knew something was wrong the second the ride started.
An operations manual published by the Orlando Free Fall ride's manufacturer lists the weight limit as 130 kg, or about 287 pounds—meaning Sampson exceeded the maximum passenger weight by nearly 100 pounds.
Identified only as Ivan, he was the source of the gruesome video that showed 14-year-old Tyre Sampson's fall from the thrill ride. That very same video circulated widely following Sampson's death, getting to Sampson's father before official news of his passing.
The Orlando FreeFall drop tower in ICON Park in Orlando, Florida, is pictured on March 28, 2022. The owner's manual for the tower lists the ride's weight limit at 287 pounds. Tyre was just over 6 feet tall and weighed 383 pounds, according to the autopsy report.
Tyre Sampson, 14, 'knew something was wrong with his harness and was freaking out' before Icon theme park fall, dad says. THE dad of a teen boy who died falling from a theme park ride said his son knew his safety harness was not fitted right.
The parents of Tyre Sampson, the teenager who fell to his death from an amusement park ride in March, have sued for $30k+ in damages, RadarOnline.com has learned. On March 24, 14-year-old Tyre passed away after tragically falling off a Free Fall ride at Orlando, Florida's famous ICON Park.
Parks cite safety concerns whenever a large rider is prohibited from a ride. In recent years, there have been several high-profile accidents involving larger riders being thrown from a theme park ride.
It sends passengers up and then drops them nearly 400 feet at speeds reaching more than 75 mph, according to the park. The owner's manual for the tower lists the ride's weight limit at 287 pounds.
The Disneyland Resort does not have any weight restrictions on any attraction; However, Guests must be able to fit in the restraints securely in order to ride ALL attractions.