A dream vacation to Disney World in Florida last month turned into a nightmare for Matthew and Melissa Graves of Nebraska, when their 2-year-old son, Lane, was killed by an alligator at a Disney resort. The couple just issued a statement saying they are “broken” by the loss of their son, but don’t plan on suing Disney.
“Melissa and I are broken,” Matt Graves writes. “As each day passes, the pain gets worse … For now, we continue to ask for privacy as we focus on our family.”
Lane Graves was wading in ankle-deep water at the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort on June 14 when an alligator snatched him and dragged him into deeper water, where it’s believed he drowned, The Washington Post reports.
Although the resort did have signage telling visitors not to swim in the lagoon, the signs didn’t include warnings about alligators. The signage was changed after the accident.
The Graves were relaxing on the white-sand beach surrounding the man-made lagoon with Lane and their 4-year-old daughter before the tragedy occurred. Lane’s body was found on June 15 after an extensive search.
The Graves started a foundation in their son’s name — the Lane Thomas Foundation — shortly after his death.
In their statement released Wednesday morning, Matthew and Melissa Graves said: “In addition to our foundation, we will solely be focused on the future health of our family and will not be pursuing a lawsuit against Disney.”
George A. Kalogridis, president of Walt Disney World Resort, issued the following statement to the Post: “In the wake of this tragic accident we continue to provide ongoing support for the family, which includes honoring their request for privacy.”
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