Man Who Died After Falling From Six Flags Roller Coaster Was Cancer Survivor, Recent Car Fire Survivor

Hassan Kariem, a 42-year-old Georgia man, died after falling from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday. Family friends told WSB-TV that Kariem was a two-time lymphoma survivor and had recently survived a devastating car fire with his 10-year-old step-daughter just three weeks prior. The car was totaled in the accident, but both individuals were unharmed.

Kariem was at the theme park with his partner, her daughter, and her niece, continuing a summer tradition from his childhood. The incident occurred around 4 p.m. when Kariem was ejected from his seat on the ride. He struck the ride structure multiple times before falling beneath the attraction, where he was found unresponsive by police behind a haunted house attraction. Four other individuals were transported to the hospital following the incident.

Witnesses reported that the restraints on the Goliath roller coaster, which reaches heights over 200 feet, were making a "weird clicking" noise and that park staff had checked them multiple times before the car departed. Logan Conner, a passenger on the ride, described seeing Kariem being ejected and hitting the cart multiple times. "The cart went back up in the air, flipped, came down, [he] hit the cart, went back up in the air, came down, hit the cart again and then the ride stopped," Conner told WXIA. "As the last hit happened... we made direct eye contact with him."

Cobb County police are investigating the exact cause of the incident. Six Flags has temporarily closed the Goliath roller coaster and several other rides at its parks nationwide out of an abundance of caution. The Goliath roller coaster has been a feature at the park since 2006.

Kariem was remembered by Atlanta Public Schools as a beloved educator and technology professional at the Wesley International Academy. His family described him as a passionate educator, devoted to his family, particularly his step-daughter, whom he raised as his own. Family members characterized him as "the sunshine of our family," known for his generosity, kindness, and gentle spirit.

This incident follows a series of concerns at other Six Flags locations. Six Flags Magic Mountain in California had announced plans to demolish its X2 roller coaster after several lawsuits alleged severe injuries to riders. The park had settled a wrongful-death lawsuit involving 22-year-old Christopher Hawley, who died after riding the coaster in 2022. Additionally, lawsuits filed by two women, Naomi Greer-Wilkinson and Pamela Guillen, alleged traumatic brain injuries sustained on the X2 coaster, with one woman remaining in a vegetative state. The attorneys for Greer-Wilkinson stated that over 100 people had claimed injuries from that particular rollercoaster over two years.