While I was at the gym I did some thinking. I used to do all of my thinking in the bathroom. Now, it’s at the gym. Anyway, I feel badly for insinuating that the parents’ were at fault. When we were kids, we were allowed to go on any rides we wanted if we met the height/weight requirement. Had this happened to one of us while my father gleefully spun the teacups until we could no longer lift our heads from the cup’s rim, it wouldn’t have been my father’s fault. But I’m certain he would have felt a world of guilt in retrospect. After all, that is what Mission: Space does. It spins.
It’s just a horrible, horrible story. And I wish I could rewind the day for them, Superman style.
I’m receiving emails saying that there is no way people would let a 4 year old ride that ride. I don’t know what to think anymore. (Note to self: maybe having kids isn’t such a great idea after all.)
having kids or raising kids doesn’t seem like a problem……the problem is everyone around you thinking they know how to raise your kid better than you, now that’s scary…. and enough to want to raise your kids away from the public’s watchful eye. now it’s the inmates that run the asylum kind of thing where we’re too scared to do anything, especially what’s right for the kid.
You’re damn right about that, Greg.
Come to think of it, I just did exactly what you’re talking about, by making this post and bringing up his parents. I suck. haha
I think having kids is great. My pack of lemurs consistently delight, amaze, and enfuriate me. Stories like this shock me because while I wouldn’t be stupid enough to do THAT (put Owen on Mission: Space, for example), I AM stupid enough to do some other seemingly reasonable things. However, you can’t be afraid to have children or fall in love or make any change to your life out of fear that their loss may hurt too much.
Mom spun the teacups – I did the filming. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
riiiiiiiiiiight Mom could not have spun those that fast. No way, no how.
Charlie, I’m going to have 13 children and move to Buffalo and you will babysit.
I’m not babysitting. I’ll let Pippy babysit. She can show your kids “the bootie dance.”
Oh that poor little kid. I was really really sick after that ride, I can’t imagine how a child would be able to handle it. Very sad. :(
I can’t imagine that the ride could “kill” anyone, but who knows. Good grief, I feel sick for that little guy.
I was just thinking of you and your post about this ride this morning because they were talking about this story on the morning show I listen to.
While I don’t think I’d bring my daughter when she was 4 on a ride like that (well, I wouldn’t go on a ride like that), I am torn about ‘blame’. I think it is a horrible tragedy and that the child probably had some pre-existing condition we will find out about later. The thing with those rides, though, is that while they have all sorts of warnings on them, the kid met the height requirement. We are supposed to trust that the ride is safe as long as we meet the requirements, right?
On the other hand, people take less and less responsibility for their actions in this country especially, which makes me wonder about the parents and what the thought-process was-
if any-in bringing this child onto the ride.