Three weeks after escaping a car fire with his daughter unharmed, a 42-year-old Atlanta educator who had survived cancer twice died after being ejected from a roller coaster during a family outing at Six Flags Over Georgia.
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem died Monday, Oct. 12, while riding Goliath at the amusement park near Atlanta. Cobb County Police Department said he struck other riders before falling beneath the attraction. Officers found him unresponsive around 3:58 p.m. Four others were hospitalized, according to WSB-TV.
Family friend Elicia Day told WSB-TV that Kariem and his daughter walked away from the car fire without injuries, although their vehicle was destroyed. Day also said he had survived a serious case of COVID-19. Relatives confirmed he beat lymphoma twice, most recently in 2018.
Kariem worked as an IT manager and former technology teacher at Wesley International Academy. The school praised his dedication to students and its community. His family remembered him as a devoted father figure who raised his partner’s daughter as his own.
Kariem grew up visiting Six Flags with his grandmother and returned Monday with loved ones. His partner’s niece was seated beside him and was physically unharmed, relatives told FOX 5 Atlanta.
“He was the sunshine of our family,” his cousin Geo Ashe said.
Following his death, Six Flags temporarily closed nine similar roller coasters across six amusement parks in the United States and Canada. Goliath reaches speeds of 70 mph and secures riders with lap bars rather than seat belts, according to The Associated Press.
Georgia’s Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner is examining the ride, while Cobb County Police investigate the fatal fall. Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard is conducting its own review.
Kariem’s family has urged people to stop circulating images of his final moments and allow loved ones to grieve privately.
“I just really want a full investigation and we want answers about how this happened,” Day told WSB-TV.
