I hope Disney fights any future lawsuit from this family AND fights it hard.
The more I read, the more I am appalled by this family's behavior.
Contrast it with Austin's mom when he was killed in a monorail accident. No press conferences--no rushed allegations. Waited for the investigation to proceed. And IMHO--she did rightfully sue as evidence was clearly pointing to Disney's error. But she wasn't all over the news claiming that Disney killed her son. It was an accident, there was fault. But grandstanding won't bring her son back. She's handling it as privately as she is able.
This family--seems real quick to rush to the cameras, real quick to proceed with their allegations.
I just don't think Disney should have to pay just to keep them quiet. What they are doing is very very very wrong. Their son made a mistake--that child did not SEE him first hand making that error. She just saw the results. She's as valid a witness as I am b/c she didn't see what he did. Even if she did--it happened so quick, that your memory will sometimes remember quite differently from what actually happened and clearly that 11yo is and will be traumatized by this incident for quite some time.
The bike not being mangled--it isn't going to be mangled if it didn't take a direct hit. If the boy had swerved do to his novice skills--he would have been likely leaning left and his body absorbed the impact of the bus. The bike can take more of that force and not get a scratch than a little boy can.
This family is delusional. It really makes me wonder the circumstances surrounding the death of their other son by drowning. If they never fully recovered from that and accept full, partial--or perhaps no blame, that likely is what is at play here.
If Disney is found by FHP to be 100% not at fault, any lawsuits should be fought very hard so that people for once are held accountable for their own actions.
It is a tragedy what happened to this boy. But that family has no right to say such hateful and false things about that driver.
We all grieve differently--but running to the press and slinging accusations--smells fishy. I find what they are doing to be abhorrent.
I haven't called mom a name. But she and grandmom have said plenty about the driver and the company.
It is not in poor taste to have such an observation.
Sadly--they have opted to publicize their slander.
Of course they are delusional. According to the report on Fox: It was their first trip to Disney. This happened on their last day there. Their child is dead and according to one of the 911 calls, his head was crushed.
Put yourself in their shoes. Your first trip to the most magical place on earth. You have a magical time. You have a false sense of security and let your child ride his bike with a friend alone on the last day. There is an accident. He is crushed. Your child is dead.
Would you be rational? Would you be delusional?
Their child - GONE. Life as they knew it - CHANGED. Their universe right now - STOPPED and the rest of the world spins. All they know right in this moment is their child is dead and that he went under a bus. They can listen to all the police reports, all the logic and rationale in the world right now and none of it matters because right now, in this moment, they are stuck on MY CHILD IS DEAD. Right or wrong, they're not thinking about the driver. They're not there yet. Hopefully in time, they will come to grips with the how and why and find some peace.
Most every person on these boards (and probably off of them) realizes neither Disney or the driver is at fault. My heart breaks for the driver as much as for the family. Whether a million people tell the driver he isn't responsible, or the family realizes he isn't at fault and stops talking to the press won't change the guilt he feels right now and has to come to terms with. He will carry this with him forever.
Wouldn't surprise me one bit if Disney tries to compensate the family in some way whether or not a suit is ever filed.
You, I and every other person are entitled to our opinions. It just seems ironic to me that so many are bashing this family for bad parenting, lawsuits which haven't been filed yet and the way they are behaving immediately after a tragedy, lashing out at Disney and the driver; and a lot of the posts in this thread (and others) are speculation about truths which we don't know and assumptions about things which haven't happened yet. It's sad all the way around, for everyone involved.