Family of dad who fell to his death from Six Flags roller coaster plead for photos of his final moments to be scrubbed from the internet, as theme park prepares to reopen

DAILYMAIL.COM • 1h ago

By WILL POTTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER 13:35 14 Oct 2026, updated 13:39 14 Oct 2026

The family of an Atlanta father who died in a freak accident on a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia have pleaded for the public to stop sharing gruesome pictures of his final moments.

Speaking for the first time since Hassan Kariem, 42, lost his life on the Goliath roller coaster on Monday, the grieving family said they are ‘absolutely devastated’ by his unexpected death.

Kariem, a teacher at Atlanta’s Wesley International Academy, was riding the roller coaster with his son when the accident unfolded, and his wife and young daughter watched on nearby.

It remains unclear how Kariem fell from the ride, as witnesses said he flew out of his seat and collided with the ride’s metal frame a number of times while falling to the ground. Six Flags Over Georgia will reopen on Wednesday, although the Goliath ride has been closed indefinitely.

Witnesses said they were covered in Kariem’s blood following the gruesome incident, which occurred at the moment the roller coaster’s camera takes souvenir photos of riders they later have the option to buy.

Images of Kariem falling over other passengers and flying head-first into the ride have since gone viral on social media. His family have pleaded with people to stop sharing the photos because of their upsetting nature.

The images appeared to be snapped by another visitor to the theme park on Monday, and the family told WSBTV2 that they are trying to locate who took the original picture of Kariem’s final moments.

Kariem’s cousin Elicia Day added in a video to social media that his family have been left heartbroken, as ‘any loss of a family member or friend is tragic, but to lose him in this manner this way it is beyond words can even express.’

Day said in her video that Kariem’s family are now attempting to bring themselves together to deal with the sudden loss.

‘We were just just coming from a place of, ‘Thank God, god is so good they spared you and they spared his daughter’s life,” Day added.

Day described Kariem as a devoted and loving father, telling WSBTV that he was also a passionate teacher and ran a 3D printing business. He had previously survived cancer.

She said just three weeks ago, he and his daughter survived a fiery car crash, which destroyed their car but resulted in no injuries.

On Tuesday, a relative of Kariem’s told the Daily Mail that the loss was a ‘terrible shock’, but said they did not wish to comment further as they ‘just want to know what happened.’

Authorities have not said what they believe caused the freak accident on the roller coaster, and an investigation has been launched.

Six Flags closed the Goliath ride and shut down over 10 other roller coasters across the country ‘out of an abundance of caution’ in response to the tragedy, however the company said Six Flags Over Georgia will re-open on Friday.

Witnesses said the father was thrown from his seat on the Goliath ride near the final turn, and he struck the frame of the roller coaster several times on his way to the ground.

Logan Conner, a man on the same ride carriage as Kariem, said passengers made ‘direct eye contact’ with him as he fell head-first out of the roller coaster.

He described Kariem ‘levitating’ by the side of the track as he fell, before he struck the ride and his blood ‘splattered over everybody’, reports WXIA.

‘He hit a girl two rows in front of us on the Goliath ride right where the pictures are taken,’ one woman told 11Alive.

Kariem landed behind a haunted house attraction that was set up for Halloween, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Goliath roller coaster reaches top speeds of 70mph and climbs over 200 feet in the air, making it the tallest roller coaster in all of Georgia.

It remains unclear how the accident was able to unfold, with theme park expert Robert Niles telling Channel2 that such an incident is incredibly rare.

Niles, the editor of ThemeParkInsider.com, told the outlet: ‘This wasn’t obviously a case of something wrong with the guest. That there may have been something wrong with the ride.

‘This isn’t an incident of somebody being on a coaster who shouldn’t have been on that coaster, given the boarding restrictions or health requirements.

‘This sounds like a freak accident that we will definitely need to get the results from an investigation to fully understand.’

After Kariem was identified as the victim in the tragedy, Atlanta Public Schools said in a statement that he would be remembered as a beloved educator and technology professional in the district.

‘He was a cherished member of the Wesly International Academy and APS families whose presence and impact will be deeply missed by our students, staff, and all those whose lives he touched,’ the school district said.

‘Our thoughts are with everyone mourning his loss during this difficult time.’

A Six Flags spokesperson told the Daily Mail in a statement: ‘We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest’s family, friends, and loved ones.

‘The park team and local authorities responded immediately, and we are cooperating fully with local authorities as they complete their investigation.’

The spokesperson said the park was providing support for anyone affected, and would not be immediately commenting further ‘out of respect for the family’s privacy.’

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