Family of man who fell to his death from Six Flags roller coaster pleads for images to be removed

The family of Hassan Kariem, 42, who died in an accident on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, have requested that the public stop sharing images of his final moments. Kariem, a teacher at Atlanta's Wesley International Academy, was riding the roller coaster with his son when he fell from the ride. His wife and younger daughter were present at the park but not on the ride.

Witnesses reported that Kariem was ejected from his seat, striking the ride's metal frame multiple times as he fell to the ground. The incident occurred near the location where the roller coaster's cameras capture souvenir photos of riders. Images of the fall have since circulated on social media.

"Any loss of a family member or friend is tragic, but to lose him in this manner this way it is beyond words can even express," said Elicia Day, Kariem's cousin, in a social media video. She described Kariem as a devoted father and teacher who also ran a 3D printing business. The family noted that Kariem had recently survived cancer and, just three weeks prior, had been in a car crash with his daughter that, while destroying their vehicle, resulted in no injuries.

Authorities have not yet stated a cause for the accident, and an investigation is ongoing. Six Flags temporarily closed the Goliath ride and over ten other roller coasters nationwide as a precaution. The theme park, Six Flags Over Georgia, is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, though the Goliath ride remains closed indefinitely.

Robert Niles, editor of ThemeParkInsider.com, commented that such an incident is exceptionally rare. "This wasn’t obviously a case of something wrong with the guest. That there may have been something wrong with the ride," Niles told WSBTV2. "This isn’t an incident of somebody being on a coaster who shouldn’t have been on that coaster, given the boarding restrictions or health requirements. This sounds like a freak accident that we will definitely need to get the results from an investigation to fully understand."

Atlanta Public Schools released a statement remembering Kariem as a "beloved educator and technology professional" whose presence will be missed by students and staff. Six Flags issued a statement expressing their sorrow and offering condolences to the family, adding that they are cooperating fully with the investigation.