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U.S. NEWS Monday 26 June 2017
Man catches teen falling from park ride: ‘It’s OK to let go’

shaken up but uninjured was crying for about a half-
otherwise, she said. They hour after.”
didn’t know how she’d fall- Lent said he thought it took
en out of the ride. too long for park employ-
“I’m just glad we could be ees to stop the ride and
there to help,” Winchell render aid. He said the ride
said. has no seatbelt; just a bar
“We were in the right place across to hold patrons in-
at the right time.” side.
The accident happened “I’ll never let my family on
on the Sky Ride at Six Flags that ride again,” he said.
Great Escape Amusement Officials inspected the ride
Park, about 55 miles (89 ki- and said it was in proper
lometers) north of Albany, working order. The park
New York. The ride was said in a statement that the
stopped by an operator af- safety of guests is a top pri-
ter getting word of a rider ority.
in distress — it had been “There does not appear to
higher up at one point. be any malfunction of the
Loren Lent, from Glen- ride, but we have closed
ville, said Sunday that his the attraction until a thor-
10-year-old daughter and ough review can be com-
wife had also been on the pleted,” a park official said.
ride and watched from On Sunday, park officials
high above as the girl fell. said the ride had been
“My daughter was just trau- cleared for operation, but
matized,” he said. “She would remain closed.

In this June 24, 2017, image made from a video provided by
Leeann Winchell, a 14-year-old girl falls from an amusement
park ride at Six Flags Great Escape Amusement Park in Queens-
bury, N.Y.
Associated Press
By COLLEEN LONG stretched, waited with a
Associated Press few other good Samari-
NEW YORK (AP) — Matthew tans. The two took the brunt
Howard Sr. was just leaving of the girl’s fall, tumbling
a New York amusement to the ground themselves
park Saturday evening with after the catch. She was
his family when he heard lifted up and carried to a
someone screaming for golf cart where emergency
help. workers arrived to help her,
He looked up to see a witnesses said.
young girl dangling about Howard, a contractor from
25 feet (about 8 meters) Schenectady, was treated
off the ground from a slow- and released for a minor
moving gondola ride as back injury after the res-
the sun was setting. Her lit- cue.
tle brother sat next to her in “I couldn’t let that little girl
the green two-person pod, die,” Howard told The As-
crying hysterically, saying sociated Press on Sunday.
he couldn’t hold on. “No one wants to put him-
Howard, 47, and his 21-year- self underneath a body like
old daughter, Leeann that, but I couldn’t stand
Winchell, ran over and po- by and watch.”
sitioned themselves under The 14-year-old girl from
the girl as the ride stopped Greenwood, Delaware,
and security came running. was taken to Albany Medi-
A crowd of onlookers gath- cal Center in stable condi-
ered, many filming, others tion with no serious injuries,
calling for help. the Warren County Sheriff’s
“I said: ‘It’s ‘OK! It’s OK to let Office said.
go, I’ll catch you, honey,’” Winchell, who is applying to
said Howard. be a nurse, said they visited
The girl lost her grip and the girl Sunday at the hos-
fell down where Howard pital and she was in good
and Winchell, arms out- spirits. Her little brother was