The 42-year-old Atlanta teacher who was ejected from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia and fell to his death was described by loved ones as a passionate educator who overcame several health challenges and a recent near-death experience.
Three weeks before Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem was thrown from his seat on the Goliath ride, he was in a fiery car crash and walked away unharmed, family members told NBC affiliate WXIA. According to the outlet, Kariem’s 10-year-old daughter was also in the car and survived without injuries.
They also shared he was a two-time cancer survivor, with the last stint in 2018.
In July he ran the Peachtree Road Race, a 10K event dubbed the world’s largest for the distance, and shared in a Facebook post how just a few years earlier he was in the ICU battling a bacterial lung infection and “fighting for my life.” Kariem spoke of his faith and said doctors told him he’d need a lung transplant and advised against running. He said he trusted in a “higher power” and crossed the finish line at the “largest 10K in the world.”
Kariem referred to himself as a pescatarian who loved to cook, often sharing his pictures of meals he cooked up on his Facebook page.
He worked as the information technology manager at Wesley International Academy, a public charter school in Atlanta. Before that, he was a technology teacher and robotics coach.
In a statement, the Wesley International Academy said it was devastated by the news of Kariem’s passing and called him “a beloved colleague, friend, and integral part of the Wesley family for more than 12 years.”
“His love for Wesley, dedication to our students, and commitment to our school community were evident in everything he did,” the statement said. “Mr. Kariem was deeply loved and respected, and his absence will be felt throughout our school community. Our hearts are with his family, friends, colleagues, students, and all who knew and loved him as we mourn this tremendous loss.”
Kariem was killed Monday while riding Goliath, the park’s tallest roller coaster with a first hill of 200 feet.
The Cobb County Police Department said preliminary information based on interviews with witnesses and employees indicates Kariem was “ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction.” Officials have not released any other information about the people who were hurt.
“It looked like he was hovering because the car was moving underneath him,” said Nick Mendenhall, who had just ridden Goliath with his son and was watching the coaster cars passing overhead.
Mendenhall told The Associated Press he saw Kariem fall headfirst back into the coaster and then eject from the ride on its final turn.
“It felt like slow-motion, but it happened in an instant,” Mendenhall said. “I was just praying in those moments. I was praying: ‘God, please let him stay in that car.’”
Summer Bates, who was at the park with her husband and three children, saw Kariem fall. “One thing I think that will stick with us is the sound of his body coming down,” she said, in an interview with the AP.
Goliath towers above the entrance at Six Flags Over Georgia just outside Atlanta with a series of hills and turns. It doesn’t take riders upside down. There are no seat belts. Instead, riders are restrained with lap bars that pull down over their legs and waist.
“My older two children rode on the cart ahead of us,” Bates said. “I noticed they kept trying to push theirs down tighter. I assured them that they were OK. But once my husband, youngest child and I loaded our cart and headed up the incline, I quickly understood why my older two were messing with theirs. It just didn’t feel secure and tight.”
In a statement to NBC News, Six Flags Over Georgia president Richard Pretlow said he was “deeply saddened” by the incident and extended “heartfelt condolences” to the victim’s family, friends and loved ones.
“I also want to acknowledge the guests and team members affected by this tragic event and assure them they remain in our thoughts,” Pretlow said. “Our team responded immediately and cooperated fully with local authorities as they worked to understand what took place. Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we will not be sharing additional details at this time.”
He added the Goliath remains closed and there is no anticipated date for reopening.
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. temporarily shut down roller coasters at six of its theme parks in the U.S. and Canada. The parks were already scheduled for seasonal midweek closures on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Those rides include a second coaster named Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Southern California; Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America in Illinois; Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey; Fury 325 and Thunder Striker at Carowinds in North Carolina; and the rides Leviathan and Behemoth at Canada’s Wonderland in Ontario, Canada.
The company did not say why those specific rides were shut down or what would be done before they reopen.
Bolliger & Mabillard, the Swiss company that manufactured the coaster and many others worldwide, said it is actively investigating and won’t comment “until we have a better understanding of what happened.”
