Teenager dies after being flung from ride
<p dir="ltr">The last words said by a 14-year-old boy who died before falling from a drop tower amusement park ride have been revealed.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Tyre Sampson was enjoying a night out with his family and friends at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida on Thursday when he decided to ride the Orlando Free Fall. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Described as the world’s tallest freestanding drop tower at 131 metres, the ride spins around the tower when it’s reached the top before dropping at 120km/h.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Tyre hopped onto the ride with his two friends who sat next to him, but he felt something was wrong.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“When the ride took off, that’s when he was feeling uncomfortable. He was like ‘this thing is moving,’ you know what I’m saying. And he was like ‘what’s going on?’” Tyre’s father Yarnell Sampson told <a href="https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/father-of-14-year-old-killed-on-the-free-fall-drop-ride-wants-answers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WOFL-TV</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Tyre began to freak out and asked his friends to deliver a heartbreaking message to his parents.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“And he was explaining to his friends, next to him, ‘I don’t know man, if I don’t make it down safely, can you please tell my mamma and daddy that I love them.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“For him to say something like that, he must have felt something.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">Horrific footage of the incident was shared to social media, showing a body being flung off the ride just before the ride stopped its descent. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Mr Sampson said most of the rides rejected his son because of his height and weight, however the Free Fall staff said they could take him.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Tyre stood at almost 2m tall and weighed 154kg, which made his father question why his son was allowed on the ride.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"This one particular ride said, ‘We can take you, come on! Get on!’ No one else allowed him to get on the ride, so I’m wondering what happened between now and then that made them say, 'Come on, get this ride’. </p>
<p dir="ltr">"This should never happen to anyone else's child ever again, and if I have anything to do with this, it will not happen ever again."</p>
<p dir="ltr">Emergency calls made when Tyre fell out of the ride were released describing the horrific situation.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“The thing (Orlando Free Fall) went down to drop and, like, when they got closer to the bottom, when it hit the break, the guy fell right out of the seat,” one caller told 911, <a href="https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/03/25/hes-not-breathing-calls-to-911-released-after-teens-deadly-fall-from-orlando-drop-tower/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click Orlando</a> reported.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“He’s not responsive. It looks like his arms are broken and his legs,” another called said.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“He’s face down, there’s blood everywhere. He’s not breathing. I’ve checked his pulse, there’s no pulse.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">Investigations into how Tyre died are continuing with ICON Park releasing a statement offering their condolences to the family.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"A tragedy occurred last night at the Orlando FreeFall and our hearts are heavy with sadness.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"The owner of the attraction is fully cooperating with authorities and ICON Park is doing everything we can to assist.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"The Orlando FreeFall will be closed pending a full investigation. Other businesses at ICON Park are scheduled to be open during their normal business hours."</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><em>OverSixty has chosen not to share the video due to its graphic nature and out of respect to the family. </em></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>
