Puddy Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Terribly sad. I would argue that his decision to go on this roller coaster (or the park allowing him too) was worse than the fireman's split second error in judgment at the Rangers game. Army amputee thrown from NY roller coaster, dies By BEN DOBBIN - Associated Press | AP – 1 hr 13 mins ago ....tweet29EmailPrint......Related Content. ...FILE In this Aug. 7, 2000 photo, The Ride of Steel formerly known as Superman Ride … ..In this April 8, 2011 photo, Sgt. James Hackemer, does does physical therapy with … ....DARIEN, N.Y. (AP) — A U.S. Army veteran who lost both legs in Iraq and had been trying to rebuild his life was killed after he was thrown from a roller coaster at an upstate New York amusement park. Teams of inspectors on Saturday were examining the Ride of Steel coaster at the Darien Lake Theme Park Resort, about 30 miles east of Buffalo. Sgt. James Thomas Hackemer, 29, was ejected from the 208-foot-tall ride early Friday evening, after climbing aboard during an outing with family and friends. Authorities and a park spokeswoman declined to say at what point in the ride the accident occurred. The wounded veteran was missing all of his left leg and most of his right one, as well as part of a hip, and had only recently returned for good to his parents' home in Gowanda following years in and out of rehabilitation at hospitals around the northeast U.S. It wasn't immediately clear whether attendants at the theme park had given any thought to barring Hackemer from the ride because of his missing limbs. People without legs are barred from at least one other coaster at the park, the Predator. Rules posted on the resort's website for the Ride of Steel say that guests must be 54 inches or taller, but add that people with "certain body proportions" may not be able to ride. The website also suggests that guests try using a test seat at the coaster's station house. Park spokeswoman Cassandra Okon declined to answer questions about the accident on Saturday, citing the ongoing investigation. Both the state's labor department, which has regulatory authority over amusement park rides, and investigators from the Genesee County Sheriff's Department were on the scene. A Labor Department spokesman confirmed that the agency is investigating, but wouldn't be releasing additional information yet on the circumstances of the accident. The park's website describes the Ride of Steel as one of the tallest coasters east of the Mississippi River, climbing more than 200 feet and reaching speeds in excess of 70 mph. The roller coaster and surrounding area were closed after the death. Other areas of the park remained open, and patrons arrived again on Saturday morning. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and the family of the guest," Okon said. Hackemer was severely wounded in 2008 by an armor-penetrating warhead called an explosively formed penetrator. In a video interview with The Buffalo News this year, he described the aftermath of the attack, a hazy period in which he lost tremendous amounts of blood, had two strokes and was in a coma for six weeks at a series of hospitals. The blood loss caused brain damage. Afterward, he had to relearn to eat and speak. "I had to learn all my basic skills again," he told the newspaper. After finally going home, he said his parents had constructed ramps around the house and were trying to make him comfortable. Hackemer said he would never feel normal again, but after all his hard work felt like he was "pretty close." His mother, Nancy Hackemer, told the newspaper in an interview after his accident Friday that the family had recently returned from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington, D.C., where her son got "a new set of legs." "It's going to help a little bit that he was happy," she said. "We shouldn't have had him for these last three years and four months." She said her son had been helped on to the ride by other people, and was "doing what he wanted to do." The death was at least the second in the last couple of months at Northeast amusement parks. In early June, an 11-year-old girl on a class trip to Morey's Mariner's Landing Pier in Wildwood, N.J., fell about 150 feet from near the top of a Ferris wheel and was killed. A state report found the ride's restraints to be working properly, and investigators haven't been able to determine how the girl, who was riding alone, got out of the Giant Wheel gondola. People who have ridden the Ride of Steel coaster where Hackemer died recalled it as thrilling. "That's the only one that gives you a scare. I mean, it does lift you out of your seat," said Liz Blest, 33, of Buffalo, who was staying at a campground next to the amusement park on a family trip. Passengers are held in by a bar that sits across their legs. "I wouldn't ride it," said Steve Clough, 61, of Brockport, who was visiting the amusement park Saturday in a scooter he uses because back and heart problems have made walking difficult. But he added that Hackemer was probably made of tougher stuff. "He probably figures he came through the war, and he was brave enough to fight there, the roller coaster didn't scare him," he said. ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Very sad, but ya have to think w/ no legs if the devices for safety were sufficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 dude fought thru alot just ta get ta that point, very sad ending Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddahj Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 very tragic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I know we are all online know-it-alls, but let's try to have some couth about sad stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby's Hubby Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 why aren't there seat belts/harnesses in roller coasters? I do not ride roller coasters for that reason. The bar is not good enough. Scooby makes fun that I am scared of roller coasters but I hvae no shame in saying that I am scared to get on these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 my kid played in a fastpitch softball tourney in Buffalo this weekend. we passed that park on the way in friday morning and her and a few of the girls were gona go friday afternoon. decided to go shopping instead. sad story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 my kid played in a fastpitch softball tourney in Buffalo this weekend. we passed that park on the way in friday morning and her and a few of the girls were gona go friday afternoon. decided to go shopping instead. sad story Meh, they were better off shopping...I heard it costs and arm and a leg to get into that park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share Posted July 11, 2011 I know we are all online know-it-alls, but let's try to have some couth about sad stories. Square - I hear ya...and I don't go down that road very often. I was just curious if this story had broke first would BB make the same comment in this case that he did in the fireman's story. RR defended BB by saying it was a knee-jerk reaction but I don't buy that. BB had WAY more time to decide what to type on his keyboard than the father of that 6 year-old had trying to get him a ball. This story is equally tragic and I was simply making a point...after I acknowledged the fact that this was a terrible story as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furd Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I know we are all online know-it-alls, but let's try to have some couth about sad stories. Why? My thought is that if you really get offended by a comment typed on a message board by somebody that you don't know (using an alias at that) about somebody that you don't know, you're just too sensitive. That attack on BB was ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Very sad that this soldier died so young. I wonder though if he might have preferred going while doing something fun and exciting like this. It makes me think about how I would like to die when it's my time (as if I have any choice). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Very sad that this soldier died so young. I wonder though if he might have preferred going while doing something fun and exciting like this. It makes me think about how I would like to die when it's my time (as if I have any choice). If I had my choice on how I would want to go , it would be to die while saving somebody elses life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEC=UGA Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 why aren't there seat belts/harnesses in roller coasters? I do not ride roller coasters for that reason. The bar is not good enough. Scooby makes fun that I am scared of roller coasters but I hvae no shame in saying that I am scared to get on these things. I don't do rollercoasters either. I worked at Six Flags when I was 16 and met some of the people who work on those rides... It is amazing they have as good of a safety record as they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Dick Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 If I had my choice on how I would want to go , it would be to die while saving somebody elses life I hope I'm eating a slab of Gates ribs off a strippers chest when I die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 (edited) I hope I'm eating a slab of Gates ribs off a strippers chest when I die. Ill save you if you choke on the ribs and hopefully in the process I will suffocate between the strippers breasts Edited July 11, 2011 by whomper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delusions of grandeur Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 With all due respect to the guy, I really have to wonder if this was a matter of them trying to be TOO sensitive to his disability, and of course him wanting to be able to do things like a normal person, because clearly no one used good judgement at all here. Not to be too insensitive, but they should have been insensitive about it; Is it even possible a guy with no legs to meet the height requirements (and this is not to mention getting on a coaster with a lap belt when you're missing part of your lap)? Really sad, but I guess I'm going to have to play BB on this one. Everyone involved had far more than a split-second to make a decision about him getting on the coaster, and he should have never been permitted to ride it; So while I think it was poor judgement on his part too, Six Flags should be on the hook for a pretty hefty lawsuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 With all due respect to the guy, I really have to wonder if this was a matter of them trying to be TOO sensitive to his disability, and of course him wanting to be able to do things like a normal person, because clearly no one used good judgement at all here. Not to be too insensitive, but they should have been insensitive about it; Is it even possible a guy with no legs to meet the height requirements (and this is not to mention getting on a coaster with a lap belt when you're missing part of your lap)? Really sad, but I guess I'm going to have to play BB on this one. Everyone involved had far more than a split-second to make a decision about him getting on the coaster, and he should have never been permitted to ride it; So while I think it was poor judgement on his part too, Six Flags should be on the hook for a pretty hefty lawsuit. There is truth here. The problem also is I can easily see this thread title reading "Army war veteran amputee denied access to roller coaster" and everyone being up in arms because he was a wounded war veteran and they didnt let him on the roller coaster. Its lose lose and very unforunate that this man died , especially considering what he went through Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delusions of grandeur Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 There is truth here. The problem also is I can easily see this thread title reading "Army war veteran amputee denied access to roller coaster" and everyone being up in arms because he was a wounded war veteran and they didnt let him on the roller coaster. Its lose lose and very unforunate that this man died , especially considering what he went through True that. I feel like an ass reading back on that, but it's definitely tough not to want to place blame when you hear about these fire-fighters and soldiers who've risked their life for our safety to die so senselessly in their leisure time. I'll retract those statements as inappropriate. It's easy for us to be insensitive about tragedies to strangers, but a man who gave what he did deserves nothing but respect. Thank you for putting it in perspective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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