parents not suing

[cabanafrau]

I take it you haven't lost a child. I can tell you it takes months and months before you are even capable of limping along, and that is with months of preparation that it was coming and being able to hold them while they passed. I can't imagine the added "complication" (sorry can't think of a better word) of it being so sudden and violent.

Some people cope by throwing themselves into things so as to attempt to quiet their thoughts. Neither approach implies deeper grief, or better coping. People are different and react differently.

 

[DizBelle]

If this were me, the only compensation I would have liked would be for cost of the ruined trip and maybe another trip comped. And I think Disney would have been happy to oblige that. And it would merely be a drop in the ocean for them.

 

[smiths02]

If this were me, the only compensation I would have liked would be for cost of the ruined trip and maybe another trip comped. And I think Disney would have been happy to oblige that. And it would merely be a drop in the ocean for them.

If it were me, I don't think I could go to Disney park ever again.

 

[cabanafrau]

If it were me, I don't think I could go to Disney park ever again.

Yeah, I'm not so certain they'll ever be up to revisit the Happiest Place on Earth.

 

[ZachnElli]

If I remember correctly, the foundation was set up the week they returned home. It was in response to the many donations & gifts that kind strangers were sending from all over the country. Their minister linked and "advertised" it to the media as an outlet to the public to donate instead of bothering the family. I assumed the foundation was an idea from their minister as a way to help the family start to cope & heal.

This is correct, the foundation was set up shortly after they returned home. Their church made their address available for people around the world to send gifts and donations, plus there were go fund accounts set up for them. I'm pretty sure she is a SAHM, so returning to work is not possible. I'm local and I haven't heard of anyone bothering them at their home, I guarantee their neighbors would be all over them if someone did. I know I would be. Around here, they are saying there was no settlement, they don't need the money. But that's just a rumor.

 

[cabanafrau]

This is correct, the foundation was set up shortly after they returned home. Their church made their address available for people around the world to send gifts and donations, plus there were go fund accounts set up for them. I'm pretty sure she is a SAHM, so returning to work is not possible. I'm local and I haven't heard of anyone bothering them at their home, I guarantee their neighbors would be all over them if someone did. I know I would be. Around here, they are saying there was no settlement, they don't need the money. But that's just a rumor.

And all of the speculation of huge settlements is nothing more than that -- unless you want to toss in assumptions.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

If this were me, the only compensation I would have liked would be for cost of the ruined trip and maybe another trip comped. And I think Disney would have been happy to oblige that. And it would merely be a drop in the ocean for them.

What a strange comment! And I have read A LOT of strange comments on this topic in the last 6 weeks...

 

[mummabear]

No, thankfully, I haven't and sorry about your loss.

Sorry, reread my post, I didn't intend to say it was my child lost, a close friend who had their oldest daughter the same age as mine then their son was born the same week as my daughter, they both ended up in hospital sick at 5 weeks unfortunately only mine made it to their first birthday.
I see you have also witnessed the extreme grief of your sister and you are right that everyone grieves differently and there is no right or wrong.

If this were me, the only compensation I would have liked would be for cost of the ruined trip and maybe another trip comped. And I think Disney would have been happy to oblige that. And it would merely be a drop in the ocean for them.

Really? That is the what I would expect should I have been injured at Disney (through their fault such as ride not maintained) but for negligence that caused he horrific death of my child, nothing would come close to "compensating" that but an offer to refund my expenses plus a free trip would be a slap in the face.

 

[mummabear]

If it were me, I don't think I could go to Disney park ever again.

Yeah, I'm not so certain they'll ever be up to revisit the Happiest Place on Earth.

You may be right, I am certain it will never be the happiest place on earth again but I feel like I would be compelled to visit the spot, on the anniversary, his birthday, Christmas (not saying all of them but those are the sorts of times I could imagine wanting to visit the spot as hard as it would be)
But thankfully I don't KNOW what I would do since I haven't been through what they have.

 

[DizBelle]

Sorry, reread my post, I didn't intend to say it was my child lost, a close friend who had their oldest daughter the same age as mine then their son was born the same week as my daughter, they both ended up in hospital sick at 5 weeks unfortunately only mine made it to their first birthday.
I see you have also witnessed the extreme grief of your sister and you are right that everyone grieves differently and there is no right or wrong.



Really? That is the what I would expect should I have been injured at Disney (through their fault such as ride not maintained) but for negligence that caused he horrific death of my child, nothing would come close to "compensating" that but an offer to refund my expenses plus a free trip would be a slap in the face.

I don't think there was negligence on Disney's part.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

 

[ronandannette]

I take it you haven't lost a child. I can tell you it takes months and months before you are even capable of limping along, and that is with months of preparation that it was coming and being able to hold them while they passed. I can't imagine the added "complication" (sorry can't think of a better word) of it being so sudden and violent.

Not always - as has been mentioned, everybody handles the situation differently. Our closest friends lost two children at once in an accident this spring. Similar to the Graves' tragedy, it was a high-profile incident with overwhelming public exposure. They went back to work and their sole surviving child went back to school after about a month, albeit on a casual schedule that took into account their ability to cope on a day-to-day basis. Given that the entire time was a surreal nightmare, they actually would have gone back sooner, in a desperate attempt to normalize. They realized, however that many of their employees would find that uncomfortable so for the sake of their feelings, they waited. (Yes, they were fortunate to have the privilege of setting their own agenda work-wise, and also did not have undue financial pressure to add to their concerns.)

 

[mom2rtk]

Not always - as has been mentioned, everybody handles the situation differently. Our closest friends lost two children at once in an accident this spring. Similar to the Graves' tragedy, it was a high-profile incident with overwhelming public exposure. They went back to work and their sole surviving child went back to school after about a month, albeit on a casual schedule that took into account their ability to cope on a day-to-day basis. Given that the entire time was a surreal nightmare, they actually would have gone back sooner, in a desperate attempt to normalize. They realized, however that many of their employees would find that uncomfortable so for the sake of their feelings, they waited. (Yes, they were fortunate to have the privilege of setting their own agenda work-wise, and also did not have undue financial pressure to add to their concerns.)

How awful. I cannot even imagine.

I give people a lot of latitude in how they deal with grief. Some people need time and space. Some need routine and structure. I'm all about what works for them. My only point is that these parents should have the ability to decide their path without concern for the expenses of day to day living. Not everyone has the flexibility to pick and choose when to return and how to structure their work day to best suit their grieving process.

 

[ronandannette]

How awful. I cannot even imagine.

I give people a lot of latitude in how they deal with grief. Some people need time and space. Some need routine and structure. I'm all about what works for them. My only point is that these parents should have the ability to decide their path without concern for the expenses of day to day living. Not everyone has the flexibility to pick and choose when to return and how to structure their work day to best suit their grieving process.

Absolutely - I agree. Most of us who "work for wages" have some sort of HR policy that dictates bereavement leave. At my company the death of a close family member - spouse/child/parent - entitles an employee to one week paid leave. Anything else would need to be unpaid and I, for one, would have to get back to it in fairly short order.

 

[DebbieB]

Agree with everything you said.
I do not believe they would have won a lawsuit had one happened, and having horrible things said to them about their parenting in a courtroom by a lawyer would absolutely be unbearable and sickening.

I've worked in insurance for almost 40 years in underwriting. I've read a lot of claim notes. This was a case Disney had no chance of winning. They knew the alligators were in the lagoon, I don't think that's disputed. They knew people waded in the water, they even had a brochure showing a couple walking in the water. The no swimming sign was ambiguous and obviously did not work because people continued to go in the water and they knew it. They knew people were feeding the alligators. They chose to ignore it. They have now setup fences and more specific signs, they are admitting what they had was not adequate. Cases involving a child's injury typically get sympathy from the court. There's no way they would try to defend this in court.

 

[bcla]

Yeah, I'm not so certain they'll ever be up to revisit the Happiest Place on Earth.

Legally "The Most Magical Place on Earth".

I dunno. Perhaps it could be part of the healing process. This was such a freak occurrence. Someone severely injured in a vehicle accident will typically get back in a car. The daughter in the family is probably going to be pretty resilient, as most kids are.

 

[fly girl]

I dunno. Perhaps it could be part of the healing process. This was such a freak occurrence. Someone severely injured in a vehicle accident will typically get back in a car. The daughter in the family is probably going to be pretty resilient, as most kids are.

The daughter is only 4 years old, hopefully this recollection will continually fade. No doubt, all of us want this little girl grow up having a happy and healthy childhood.

I thought about what I would do in the awful circumstance. No, I couldn't return. Too vivid, too heartbreaking. Even if I didn't go to the exact location, I would put my lost child in every aspect of the WDW Parks and Resorts. My mind would go to visions of the past, but sadness of how the child should be older and with us on vacation. For me, I could never return.

However, I can understand how some could find it healing. As PP's stated, dealing with loss and bereavement is very personal, there isn't a cookie cutter way of handling it.

 

[ronandannette]

The daughter is only 4 years old, hopefully this recollection will continually fade. No doubt, all of us want this little girl grow up having a happy and healthy childhood.

I thought about what I would do in the awful circumstance. No, I couldn't return. Too vivid, too heartbreaking. Even if I didn't go to the exact location, I would put my lost child in every aspect of the WDW Parks and Resorts. My mind would go to visions of the past, but sadness of how they child should be older and with us on vacation. For me, I could never return.

However, I can understand how some could find it healing. As PP's stated, dealing with loss and bereavement is very personal, there isn't a cookie cutter way of handling it.

Yes, and TONS of kids grow up happy and healthy without ever going to Disney. Personally, I'd find going back completely unthinkable. I actually laughed out loud (more appalled than amused ) at the PP that said Disney should comp the Graves' another visit. I do totally agree with you though that how I would feel isn't how everybody would feel.

 

[tinatark]

It's interesting that the foundation they are requesting donations to is "Omaha Gives" -seems like a blanket 501c3. I know it is very labor intensive, and time consuming to open a 501c3, so maybe they're processing that and will transfer funds from Omaha Gives to their foundation when it is established.

 

[mummabear]

I don't think there was negligence on Disney's part.

Well we will have to agree to disagree here.
I believe they were negligent from both a moral and likely a legal standpoint