Girl knocked unconscious on Tornado, sent to hospital

[Raging_Bull]

http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local ... 30019.html


(CBS) LOCKPORT, Ill. A young girl and her friend were on a new ride at Six Flags when a serious accident knocked her out and sent them both to the hospital.

Witnesses say she was knocked out by the initial fall until she came to the bottom of the ride and was hit in the face with a wave. That is when she came to, screaming.

"I really don't remember anything, because, like my mom said, I was unconscious,"

Keely Vercellotti does not remember her first ride on Great America's newest attraction. That is probably a good thing because her turn on the Tornado was not pretty.

"When I see Keely coming out she was unconscious," said Lisa Lovelace. "And you can see, evidently her head, it was open."

Keely suffered a concussion and now has 28 stitches in her head.

Lisa Lovelace's son was also on the raft. Dylan does not know exactly what happened, but he remembers when Keely chipped her tooth on his leg.

"I had blood going down my back, because it was from her face. I was really scared."

It happened when the two children slid to the top of the ride and plummeted to the bottom.

"They are so lucky to be even alive. It is a huge drop," said Lovelace.

Keely's mom agrees, and had immediate concern about neurological damage.

"It was awful. It was just awful. And, um, and the fact that she had no memory," said Sharon Vercellotti.

Lovelace and Vercellotti say hospital officials told them that more than half a dozen kids have been treated at the emergency room because of injuries sustained on the Tornado. They are calling for it to be shutdown.

Officials at Six Flags Great America say they would like to speak to the young girl to find out exactly how the accident happened.

The Tornado officially opened for business today after being shutdown after the initial accident.

[DejaVuGurl1203]

I bet they weren't holding onto the handle bars. That could have caused it.

[viperchick85]

I'm glad someone finally posted the truth.

[Bob O]

Ive ridden similiar types of water rides at the Dells and have had no problems or seen any.
But i havent ridden the one at SFGAM so i dont know if something is different or if people arent following the rules.

[coastercrazy111]

I rode the one at the Wilderness in the Dells and I do see how its possible for someone to fall out if they either aren't holding on, or are thrown from the force of the actual ride. It's a shame that it had to happen during the rides opening week. I sincerely hope the girl and the other boy involved are okay.

[sixflagsgirl2006]

Do they know exaclty how it happened yet, because when I went on it, it seemed perfectly safe for anyone riding in it. I didn't feel like you could fall out or anything as long as you were hanging out like they tell you too.

[kcabmi]

Wow, I was there on that day. I didn't even know about it though until now. Wow!!!

[zjohn1988]

I bet they weren't holding onto the handle bars. That could have caused it.

No we have morons as guests.

[SFaddiction84]

Wait so when the tube was going up one of the sides, someone fell out? snaps

[Sireze]

U won't see me on that ride when i go to SFGAm.

[LAFFfan4lyfe]

There's a reason why the lifeguards tell the guests to hold on tightly to the handles. I don't think an accident like this should make them close the ride. Until now, nobody else has said anything about these kind of rides with accidents. This accident won't prevent me from going on this ride.

[FParker185]

I just like the headline...

Girl Knocked Unconscious On Ride at Six Flags
Doesn't Remember Ride

Journalism at it's best.


And of course it's a good thing the injuries werent more serious.

[perseus the hero]

Is is just me , or does anyone think that the article sounded overly exaggerated? I mean they say that a half dozen people had injuries treated from the ride, but that sounds like a high number for just a few weeks and I can't believe that would not have been all over the news before.

[viperchick85]

I had a hard time finding anything about it online for days. I was pleasantly surprised when I found that someone had posted the article that had been doubted by everyone else. I think thats weird that it says fifteen people have been injured though...I would think it would be on major news broadcasts or at least WGN or FOX.

[DejaVuGurl1203]

The other article stated that the hospital said there were other injuries from the ride, but the park did not recall of any other injuries.

[twixmix0303]

Shouldn't they be able to get rafts that you sit inside on the floor of with your back supported by the side? That seems much safer than sitting on the edge with your back unsupported.

[viperchick85]

^ ^ Makes sense. I don't know though, I have been to GA in a month;(Yes, its killing me) right now is it like a normal tube slide's seats?

I already have an unnatural phobia of waterslides, I don't think I'll be going on this one anytime soon. Not just because of the accident though. Accidents happen, but I'd rather it not happen to me.

[Drkstarboard]

I just saw this on the news. I was going to post a topic. I was there that day to but I also didnt know it.

[DejaVuGurl1203]

^ ^ Makes sense. I don't know though, I have been to GA in a month;(Yes, its killing me) right now is it like a normal tube slide's seats?

Pretty much.



There's what the 4 person raft looks like.

[kcabmi]

I've only been on one tornado, it was the one at The Wilderness Resort in The Wisconsin Dells. And when I rode it, I was thinking how scary it would have been if I did like let go or something. Because that is a tall steep drop.

[Timmy179]

I still dont see how it would be painful/ posible to get injured, its not like the slide itself is unlike other body slides

[Trailblazer Tony]

^It's all a matter of hitting your head the wrong way because those slides aren't the softest. Anyways, they probably weren't following all the rules, but I still hope the kids are okay.

[Carlo]

The CBS News Article is wrong. A spoken person from the Hospital posted on Daily Southdown said that there are no reports of any other injuries from this Ride. Their are many Tornados all over the Country and what happened has never happened before.


Also, I still do not know how she got a big gash in the side of her head. Those slides are very smooth. Even if you banged your head direct on the slide you would not get such a big gash from it. There are no sharp edges on any of the slides at SFGAM or any other park. To get such a big Gash you would have to hit sharp object, which there is none to find on the slide.

[sixflagsgirl2006]

I agree with Carlo they definitely overexagerated something in that article. I tried looking up other articles on that girl and nothing came up on any newstation. I don't feel like its the park's fault at all. The ride seems completely safe as long as you follow the instructions given to you.

[Sedir]

Wait, what's with the talk of falling out? The article makes it sound like she hit her head.