ATLANTA — Hassan Kariem‘s family is remembering him as a dedicated father, husband, and brother.
“He loved everything about Atlanta. He loved kids. He loved technology,” said Joshua Nelson, Kariem’s brother-in-law.
Kariem’s wife and daughter, along with his niece, all went to Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday to celebrate a birthday. Kariem’s daughter was turning 13 years old.
“His last words were to my daughter, and they were, ‘This is my favorite ride. I’m so excited to be here,'” Nelson said.
Investigators say Kariem was ejected from the Goliath coaster and fell to his death on Monday. Nelson says his daughter sat right next to Kariem.
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“How she described it was, he went up. I guess as the ride was going, he would go up, he went down, went up, down, and the third or fourth time it happened, the latch came undone, and that’s when he fell out,” Nelson said. “When it first happened, she called me when they got her off the ride, crying. She was like, I don’t know where he went.”
The Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire says the Goliath was last inspected in March and showed no warning signs. But Nelson says the family is patiently holding out for answers.
“We’re banding together and once the investigation is done, give him the proper sendoff,” he said.
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