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A Georgia man who survived cancer and escaped a “crazy” car fire just a month ago died after falling from a Six Flags roller coaster, leaving his heartbroken sister struggling to comprehend how her brother could survive so much, only to lose his life in a tragic amusement park accident.
Hassan Kariem, 42, died Monday after falling from the 200-foot-tall Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. His sister, Andrea Clark, 35, told the New York Post on Tuesday that her brother had been in remission from cancer since 2015 and had survived a car fire just weeks before his death.
“He’s an amazing person,” Clark told the outlet through tears. “The coolest part about me was him.”
MAN DIES AFTER FALLING FROM GOLIATH ROLLER COASTER AT SIX FLAGS OVER GEORGIA
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, seen above, was identified by Cobb County police as the man who died following a reported fall from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. (Facebook/Hassan Jihad Kariem; Alamy)
Clark, who described her brother as “my hero,” called his sudden death “unfair,” saying she could not understand how someone who had overcome so much could be gone.
“He had other issues, but he’s healthy, he was able-bodied. I don’t understand it,” she said.
Clark also recalled her brother’s devotion to his loved ones, telling the Post that he worked hard to provide for his family and helped raise his fiancée’s daughter, whom he had known since she was 3 years old.
“He could do it all,” she said.
A man died Monday following a reported fall from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, pictured above, prompting additional safety precautions. (Alamy)
The grieving sister also condemned the circulation of disturbing images showing her brother’s final moments as he fell from the roller coaster, urging people to stop sharing them.
“That’s just evil,” Clark told the Post. “It’s tragic, and I feel like we’ve gone too far as a society.”
ATTORNEY SAYS FATAL SIX FLAGS ROLLER COASTER ACCIDENT COULD RAISE BROADER SAFETY QUESTIONS AS 9 RIDES CLOSE
Witnesses described a horrifying scene as Kariem reportedly fell from the ride, with one parkgoer telling local outlet WXIA that the victim appeared in a souvenir photo taken during the roller coaster’s run.
“He was in our pictures,” the witness said. “He fell and hit the car three different times.”
The Goliath hypercoaster reaches speeds of up to 70 mph and features a 170-foot initial drop, a second 175-foot drop and a 540-degree spiral, according to the park’s website.
Atlanta Public Schools confirmed Tuesday that Kariem worked for the district as an IT manager and extended its condolences to his family.
Six Flags said it was cooperating with authorities investigating the incident and temporarily closed similar roller coasters at other parks across the country as a precaution.
A fatal roller coaster incident at Six Flags Over Georgia is raising questions about ride safety and potential liability. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
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Authorities have yet to determine what caused Kariem to fall from the ride.
Digital’s Louis Casiano and Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.
