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Man slips off Ferris wheel in Davenport
WCFCourier.com ^ | Wednesday, August 3, 2005 | Deirdre Cox Baker

Posted on 08/04/2005 7:17:34 PM PDT by Aliska

DAVENPORT --- A developmentally disabled man riding the Ferris wheel Tuesday at the Mississippi Valley Fair in Davenport slipped out of his car and dropped between the wheel's spokes before being rescued by six employees of Evans United Rides, which operates the ride.

Caleb Hill, 31, a slightly built man, was one of 120 clients of Davenport's Handicapped Development Center attending the first day of the fair called "Special Needs Day" at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. He was not seriously injured.

The dramatic incident was captured live by KWQC-TV6 in Davenport during its noon telecast, where the station was located to do a live report on the opening day of the fair.

(Excerpt) Read more at wcfcourier.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Iowa
KEYWORDS: davenport; dramatic; fair; ferris; ferriswheel; handicapped; mississippi; rescue; valley; wheel
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Newsman at the scene caught the frightful fall and rescue by a worker who knew how to climb the supports on video, and local stations are playing it over and over.

Story is going national and they've had several requests for film footage.

I think the source is or near Cedar Falls, Iowa; couldn't find anything yesterday. Looked on qctimes website and kwqc just now, and still can't find it.

1 posted on 08/04/2005 7:17:36 PM PDT by Aliska
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To: Iowa Granny; Keith in Iowa

ping


2 posted on 08/04/2005 7:20:09 PM PDT by Aliska
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To: Aliska

What the hell is a "developmentally disabled man" doing on a ferris wheel?

Do we need posters that not only say you must be "this" tall, but also "this" bright?


3 posted on 08/04/2005 7:20:47 PM PDT by bikepacker67
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To: Aliska
Didn't this happen once on South Park?

 Ti
   mm
     m
      m
       m
        a
         a
         a
         y
         !

4 posted on 08/04/2005 7:24:07 PM PDT by Redcloak (We'll raise up our glasses against evil forces singin' "whiskey for my men and beer for my horses!")
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To: bikepacker67

Wasn't there something a few years ago at Elitch Gardens in Denver about a "developmentally disabled person" who stood up on a ride and subsequently fell off?

Why are they knowingly putting people into situation that they are not able to handle.


5 posted on 08/04/2005 7:24:09 PM PDT by thompsonsjkc
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To: bikepacker67
What the hell is a "developmentally disabled man" doing on a ferris wheel?

Probably what we use to call a "Spaz".

6 posted on 08/04/2005 7:25:39 PM PDT by eddie willers
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To: bikepacker67
He was about 31 or so years old and was on an outing from the Handicapped Development Center. A female caretaker was on the ride with him. When the wheel stopped to pick up some more riders, he got frightened and slipped or jumped under the bar. The caretaker held him by the shirt as long as she could, made more difficult by the fact that he was slippery from sun screen.

She performed heroically, because it bought enought time for the carnival worker to jump into action. The man finally slipped away from the woman's grasp, fell and temporarily lodged on another chair, then fell again and landed on one of the spokes precariously. By then the carnival worker had climbed up and grabbed ahold of him long enough before others got up there to help get him down.

I don't blame the center for taking the people out to the fair, but they'll probably reconsider which rides the people can go on. It really dampened the spirit for the rest of the afternoon. Kids especially were afraid to go on. People were screaming in shock and horror as the drama unfolded.

7 posted on 08/04/2005 7:27:49 PM PDT by Aliska
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To: bikepacker67
What the hell is a "developmentally disabled man" doing on a ferris wheel?

His do-good liberal handlers were giving him the opportunity to be scared to death.

8 posted on 08/04/2005 7:27:49 PM PDT by CROSSHIGHWAYMAN
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To: Aliska
"People enjoy Caleb; he's such a character, and you never know what shenanigans he'll pull," Wenndt said. "He's just happy-go-lucky and he makes you laugh."
9 posted on 08/04/2005 7:27:50 PM PDT by MRMEAN (Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of congress; but I repeat myself. - Mark Tw)
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To: bikepacker67
Do we need posters that not only say you must be "this" tall, but also "this" bright?

ROTFLAMO

10 posted on 08/04/2005 7:29:58 PM PDT by konaice
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To: MRMEAN
"People enjoy Caleb; he's such a character, and you never know what shenanigans he'll pull," Wenndt said. "He's just happy-go-lucky and he makes you laugh."

Translation:

I get paid for being entertained by these retards.

11 posted on 08/04/2005 7:30:58 PM PDT by CROSSHIGHWAYMAN
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To: CROSSHIGHWAYMAN
His do-good liberal handlers were giving him the opportunity to be scared to death.

Maybe so. Haven't heard of any talk about blame locally. Everybody seems so thankful he was only slightly injured.

12 posted on 08/04/2005 7:31:24 PM PDT by Aliska
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To: CROSSHIGHWAYMAN; Redcloak; thompsonsjkc
I get paid for being entertained by these retards

This is taking a direction I didn't expect.

Redcloak, I don't watch South Park.

Wasn't there something a few years ago at Elitch Gardens in Denver about a "developmentally disabled person" who stood up on a ride and subsequently fell off?

Why are they knowingly putting people into situation that they are not able to handle.

thompsonsjkc, I don't know and I don't know.

Every so often, I read about a tragedy at a fair or amusement park, but I don't recall the most recent one(s). We had a bad one locally when I was a kid, but I don't remember the details.

13 posted on 08/04/2005 7:38:15 PM PDT by Aliska
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To: CROSSHIGHWAYMAN

Ya know, I hate PC (I blame it for a lot of crap in the world), but "retard" is a bit sophomoric, doncha think?.


14 posted on 08/04/2005 7:50:17 PM PDT by GOP_Proud (...when the Iraqi soldiers stand up, we will stand down...GWB)
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To: GOP_Proud


This is thread thread you read and hate yourself for snickering.


15 posted on 08/04/2005 7:53:56 PM PDT by Fido969 ("The story is true" - Dan Rather)
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To: Fido969


Only one "thread". Cripes, I'm retarded.


16 posted on 08/04/2005 7:54:45 PM PDT by Fido969 ("The story is true" - Dan Rather)
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To: GOP_Proud
Ya know, I hate PC (I blame it for a lot of crap in the world), but "retard" is a bit sophomoric, doncha think?.

Please extend to me the same poetic license that was used in the movie, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY.

17 posted on 08/04/2005 7:57:22 PM PDT by CROSSHIGHWAYMAN
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To: GOP_Proud
Ya know, I hate PC (I blame it for a lot of crap in the world), but "retard" is a bit sophomoric, doncha think?.

That's okay; just wait a few years, and "developmentally disabled" will be the "derogatory" phrase, as a new, more PC term takes its place.

Retard is just the shorthand for the next to last previously favored phrase, "mentally retarded", which was replaced by mentally disabled, which has been replaced by "developmentally disabled".

The current phrase for any "difference" or handicap becomes derogatory as soon as "less judgmental" and "less prejudicial" "non-stigmatizing" phrase comes along.

Works the same way with racial epithets, too. Today's slur is yesterday's accepted term; and, today's accepted term is tomorrow's slur.

A lot of "bigots' are just plain people who haven't kept up to date on pop-culture terminology...they still call a spade a shovel.

18 posted on 08/04/2005 8:04:08 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (The Marching Morons are coming...and they're breeding more Democrats beyond all reason!)
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To: ApplegateRanch

For some reason, it's always seemed to me that it is still acceptable to talk about the "mentally retarded" but the word "retard" is more offensive and insensitive. One could say "a retarded man was injured at the fair" and few would be offended, but if one said "a retard was injured at the fair" it would strike many as insensitive and rude.


19 posted on 08/04/2005 8:20:46 PM PDT by sassbox
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To: CROSSHIGHWAYMAN

Um, no.
Also, according to the rules laid down by the regional center, if a consumer/client wants to go on a carnival ride, the direct care staff is not allowed to keep them from doing so.


20 posted on 08/04/2005 8:22:15 PM PDT by chae
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