USF kicker falls 35 feet from skyride

[madhjsp]

South Florida kicker Maikon Bonani has been hospitalized after falling 35 feet from the Skyride at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla.

Nursing supervisor Janelle Hoskins told The St. Petersburg Times that Bonani was in fair condition.

"Our entire program is praying for Maikon and happy that the injury was not life-threatening," coach Jim Leavitt said in a statement. "I was able to visit him [Saturday]. He's in pain, but doing fine and resting."

The park issued a statement saying that after sending a gondola out of the station, Bonani, who was working as an attendant for the ride, thought the door might be unlocked and held onto the door to check it. He hung on as the gondola took off -- authorities say -- then let go about 35 feet above the ground into a landscaped area.

"He was trying to make sure they were safe," park spokeswoman Jill Revelle said of those on the ride. She added that no one else was injured.

Leavitt told The St. Petersburg Times that he believed Bonani injured his T12 vertebra in the fall.

"He's fine. The main thing here is that he didn't die," Leavitt told the newspaper. "He isn't paralyzed. The most important thing is his health."

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Why in the world did he hang on that long? Anyway, he's probably lucky not to be dead after a fall from that height.

 

[Snoo]

He was an idiot if he held on until the gondola was 35ft off the ground. You tend to let go when your life is in danger.

I want more information on this to see the whole view.

 

[Ollie]

I'm not going to repeat the same question as to him holding on because everyone wants to know.

What a silly man.

 

[elmerfudd]

well tbh, would you rather hang on, or fall 35 feet to a painfull death

 

[Ollie]

^I'd rather let go straight away and not fall at all.

 

[CMonster]

He was hanging on because the door was unlocked, he wanted to make sure the passengers were safe. Plus, the chairlift stations are pretty high up already, so maybe he just wanted to fall in a padded area, i.e. bushes.

 

[Snoo]

Well.. if the door was unlocked.. E-Stop?

They have things which are put in place to prevent such things. Hanging on to the door? No.. just no. As I said before, I want to hear more information, but from what I'm reading, he did the dumb thing by holding on.

I'm sure putting your own life in danger for the safety of an unlocked door isn't in the ride operators job description.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

See, Skyrides are soo scary!

But I have trouble feeling sorry for this guy honestly. I mean, I'm glad he didn't die, but I would have let go right away. Then again, when you're in a situation like that, you have to realize your mind probably isn't working properly.

 

[Almost]

He was an idiot if he held on until the gondola was 35ft off the ground. You tend to let go when your life is in danger.

I want more information on this to see the whole view.

Actually as you get higher your instincts would be to hang on.

And 35 feet isn't deadly by any means. Ask Jake Brown.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrnJ3JyaekI[/youtube]

Walked away with just bruises and that was on hard wood, not grass.

Well.. if the door was unlocked.. E-Stop?

He wasn't sitting at a computer thinking hmmm...let's think this through. He was acting on instinct that told him go run and make sure the people are safe.

They have things which are put in place to prevent such things. Hanging on to the door? No.. just no. As I said before, I want to hear more information, but from what I'm reading, he did the dumb thing by holding on.

Hanging onto the door was after he locked the door I'm sure. It was most likely a panic move.

I'm sure putting your own life in danger for the safety of an unlocked door isn't in the ride operators job description.

Think about the repercussions for him, the park, etc. if the family falls out of the sky ride and splat right onto the path. That would be horribly worse than a broken bone or two.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

Think about the repercussions for him, the park, etc. if the family falls out of the sky ride and splat right onto the path. That would be horribly worse than a broken bone or two.

And, if he happened to fall the wrong way and seriously injured himself, I think that would have been horribly bad as well.

 

[Almost]

Think about the repercussions for him, the park, etc. if the family falls out of the sky ride and splat right onto the path. That would be horribly worse than a broken bone or two.

And, if he happened to fall the wrong way and seriously injured himself, I think that would have been horribly bad as well.

Sad to say the park would take a park employee dying ANY day over a guest. Without a question.