Posted on 06/22/2016 3:21:06 PM PDT by NYer
A private funeral service has been held in Nebraska after fatal alligator attack at Disney World last week
The funeral of a two-year-old boy killed in an alligator attack in Florida has been held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Nebraska.
Lane Thomas Graves was on holiday with his family at the Disney World resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida when he was dragged into a lagoon by an alligator.
The boy’s father attempted to fight the beast off but was unable to rescue his son who subsequently drowned.
A Mass service was held in Lane’s hometown of Omaha on Monday in a private ceremony for family and friends.
According to the church’s website, the Graves family are members of the St. Patrick’s community and the boy’s older sister, Ella, attends their school.
A statement from Lane’s parents, Matt and Melissa, was also published on the church website. The couple write: “[We] are overwhelmed with the support and love we have received from family and friends in our community as well as from around the country.”
The family have set up the Lane Thomas Foundation in his memory. On the foundation website his parents say: “Losing Lane has broken our hearts in the worst possible way. While there is no way to mend our hearts, we can do good work in his honour.”
Donations received will go to a range of local charities in Omaha.
Catholic ping!
Sweet child. Please parents, if you see a sign saying No Swimming, abide by it. It’s there for a reason.
Lane is with his Maker...an innocent back to his Creator.
I've always thought that children THIS AGE are just fine with the local beach, lake and backyard baby pool. They DON'T know the difference and care NOT AT ALL...as long as they are with mommy and daddy.
Sickening tragedy and prayers that his family finds peace. I sincerely think Disney was negligent in this little boy’s death, and would have been avoided had the appropriate signs been posted. I think as part of the settlement, which I hope is sizeable, on every anniversary date of his death, Disney should give free entry and free rides to every child under the age of six.
I’m able to hold it together until...I see that sweet Angelic FACE.
*SNIF*
Some of our children are destined to be Angels before us...unfortunately.
Breaks my heart to see that innocent baby’s face. I’m comforted to know he’s in the arms of Jesus but I pray for the parents...RIP sweet angel........;(
Breaks my heart to see that sweet face. I can’t imagine the pain the parents must be feeling. I applaud them for doing something good for other children.
I pray for their hearts to be healed.
Of course, if litigious people and their lawyers take over Disney, no one will be able to take free rides or enjoy free entry. There will be no Disney. One visit to Disney World educated me that gators are free and loose not only there but everywhere in Florida. Once learned, never forgotten.
If the signs say No Swimming, it means no swimming.
This is sad. God bless this family.
No, the parents were negligent. No responsible parent would let a kid enter water clearly marked with no-swimming signs.
Using the reasonable man concept, it think Disney made reasonable efforts to protect the guests. There are signs that say no swimming. Putting up signs about gators would cause fear amongst every small child that visits.
It is also reasonable to say that alligators are native to the area, and they pose a danger in anybody of water.
That said, it is a horrible accident.
“Some of our children are destined to be Angels before us...unfortunately.”
Not angels - GREATER than angels! A soul perfected in Christ, having a glorified resurrected body which will never know pain or suffering. A saint who judges the fallen angels. 1 Corinthians 6:3. We should never settle for the comparative mediocrity of angelhood in our thinking about the afterlife! The little boy is in good, loving hands forever.
Kids are SO fast & so little that they can get away from
you easier than you think. Years ago, when my son was 4
yrs. old (46 yrs. ago); we went to the Memphis zoo. We were
at the hippotamus pool & my son easily ran under the metal
bar surrounding the pool. The hippos were congregated right
at the pool’s edge. Thankfully, my son didn’t slip & fall
into the pool; which he very well could have done. I hope
that zoo has fixed that negligent situation by this time.
To a kid, ripping & running is FUN; but it can be deadly.
As I understand it, there were no signs warning about alligators so the parents could not be negligent. I think Disney was negligent in not putting up signs.
Agreed. After you live in FL for a while, you assume that ‘gators are present. Fly in from Nebraska to the Magic Kingdom, and it’s the last thing on your mind.
They did abide by the signs. They weren’t swimming any more so than sitting by a pool and putting just your feet in. Swimming means submerging in the water. From what I read, they barely had their feet in the edge of the lagoon where it touches the shore.
A baby that age should be on dad's BACK, in a stroller or left HOME with a nanny/babysitter.
There is a big difference between swimming and wading ( walking ) in the water. This child was not swimming, and Disney is liable.
Disneyland, Anaheim, has NO alligators.
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