Teen Who Died on Amusement Park Ride Had Promising Football Career

Tyre Sampson, the 14-year-old who fell to his death at an Orlando amusement park this week, had a promising football career ahead of him.

Brandon Gregory, a coach at East St. Louis High School in Missouri where Sampson was set to play this fall, says that the young man had the potential to land a spot on a Division I roster one day.

TMZ Sports reports that Sampson, despite only being in the 8th grade, was working out with the varsity squad at East St. Louis.

“Gregory says all the coaches and players on the team noticed Tyre’s strong work ethic, noting he always stayed late to improve his game,” TMZ Sports writes. “The varsity coaching staff considered him a potential starter going into his freshman year, and one who’d be a key part of the team for years to come.”

Sampson traveled from Missouri to Orlando’s ICON Park with a teammate’s family. The young man fell to his death from a ride known as the Orlando FreeFall, the world’s tallest free-standing drop tower.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says Sampson was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.

“This young man was the kind of son every parent hopes for — an honor roll student, an aspiring athlete, and a kind-hearted person who cared about others,” said Ben Crump, an attorney for Sampson’s father. “A fun theme park visit with his football team should not have ended in tragedy.”

No criminal charges have been filed as of this writing, though the incident is still under investigation.