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Tyre Sampson's father speaks on eve of trial in lawsuit over son's deadly fall from Orlando ride

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Published  December 4, 2024 10:44pm EST
Theme Parks
FOX 35 Orlando

Tyre Sampson's father speaks about lawsuit trial

The father of the boy who fell off a theme park ride to his death in Orlando spoke exclusively with FOX 35 News on the night before a trial is set to begin.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The father of the boy who fell off a theme park ride to his death in Orlando spoke exclusively with FOX 35 News on the night before a trial is set to begin.

Yarnell Sampson, father of Tyre Sampson, said the pain of losing his son has not subsided in the nearly three years since his death. 

Tyre was visiting Orlando on March 24, 2022, when he fell off the Orlando Freefall at ICON Park. Thursday's trial is in the family's case against the ride's Austrian manufacturer, Funtime.

"His life was just going to be so amazing," Yarnell said of his son. "He had full potential to be whatever he wanted to be, doctor, astronaut, lawyer."

RELATED: 'I had to do this': Settlement reached between Tyre Sampson's mother and ICON park, attorney says

A state investigation found Tyre's seat was manually adjusted to accommodate his size and he slipped through the restraints as the ride was coming down. 
The state fined the ride's owners $250,000, and the owners agreed to remove it.

RELATED: Orlando FreeFall death: Autopsy reveals Tyre Sampson nearly 100 pounds over ride's limit

"We need justice," Sampson said. "Tyre deserves that. If it's from the big brother to the little brother, we want everybody to be accountable for their actions, and if you did it, we want you to say sorry."

Sampson's family settled cases with ICON Park and the ride’s operators in March 2023.

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Funtime has not settled and has not responded to FOX 35's request for comment.

The Sampson's suit alleges the ride was defective because it was "unreasonably dangerous" and didn't use the safest seats, among other complaints.

Attorney Bob Fisher isn't part of this case, but he says the jury will have to consider whether the Sampson family's claims are "more likely true than not."

RELATED: Orlando FreeFall owner reaches settlement to begin dismantling ride after Tyre Sampson’s death

"If the plaintiff's counsel, the young man's family's lawyer, is not successful in convincing the jury that the manufacturer manufactured something that was defective, then they're going to lose." Fisher said. "You can't blame them for what the park did in manipulating the seat in which the young man was seated."

The trial will begin Thursday morning with jury selection. Tyre Sampson's mother, Nekia Dodd, is expected to be in court. She has a different attorney. They told us they don't plan on commenting until the end of the trial.

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