On March 24, 2022, tragedy struck at Orlando’s ICON Park when 14-year-old Tyre Sampson fell to his death from the Orlando FreeFall, one of the world’s tallest freestanding drop towers. The horrifying incident, captured on a now-deleted video, showed the teenager slipping from his seat just as the ride began its 400-foot descent.
Yarnell Sampson, Tyre's father, said that he was aware something was wrong during the start of the ride. As reported by Yahoo News, here's what Tyre Sampson said just before he plummeted to his death.
"When the ride took off, that's when he was feeling uncomfortable. He was like, ‘This thing is moving.’ … That's when he started freaking out."
"He was explaining to his friends next to him … ‘If I don’t make it down… please tell my mum and dad I love them.'
"For him to say something like that, he must've felt something."
Over two years after the tragic incident, Tyre Sampson's family has successfully settled a civil lawsuit against Funtime Handels, the Austrian company responsible for manufacturing the ride.
Local outlets WFTV and KSDK report that the jury awarded the family $310 million in damages following roughly an hour of deliberation. Sampson’s parents will each receive $155 million as part of the settlement, as reported by KSDK.
What caused Tyre Sampson's tragic death?
Investigators later found that a malfunction in the ride's safety system played a crucial role in the tragedy. Specifically, a sensor in Tyre’s harness had been manually adjusted, causing a larger-than-normal gap between his harness and seat.
According to the autopsy report, Tyre Sampson stood over 6 feet tall and weighed 383 pounds. The ride's manufacturer stated that the weight limit for the FreeFall ride was 287 pounds. This discrepancy raised concerns as Tyre's weight exceeded the limit, but the ride had no visible signage about weight restrictions or scales to check riders before boarding.
As the ride descended, the magnets that help engage the braking system were activated, and Tyre was ejected from his seat during the drop. The accident occurred despite his harness being locked down, as the manual adjustment of the proximity sensor allowed too much space between him and the seat, compromising his safety.
This improper adjustment allowed the ride's electronic safety mechanisms to be bypassed. The ride's safety system uses sensors to ensure the harness is securely in place before the ride starts. However, due to the malfunction, the system falsely indicated that Tyre's harness was securely fastened, which led to the ride starting despite the unsafe condition.
Family attorneys Ben Crump and Natalie Jackson posted a statement on their X accounts after the announcement of the award. They said:
"This verdict is a step forward in holding corporations accountable for the safety of their products... The jury's decision confirms what we have long argued: Tyre's death was the result of blatant negligence and a failure to prioritize safety over profits."
The Tyre Sampson Act
The tragic death of Tyre Sampson prompted significant changes to Florida's amusement ride safety laws. In May 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Tyre Sampson Act, which implemented stricter regulations for amusement rides:
- Rides over 100 feet in height are now required to have both seat belts and harnesses.
- All rides must undergo inspections and be certified by independent regulatory agencies.
- Operators are required to report accidents immediately, with the state having the authority to impound rides deemed unsafe.
- Any modifications made to rides, including changes to sensors or restraints, must be properly documented and justified.
Named after Tyre Sampson, the legislation went into force on July 1, 2023, with the goal of averting future occurrences of this kind.