ORLANDO, Fla. — A year after his son fell to his death through the restraints of the Orlando FreeFall ride, Yarnell Sampson visited the site where the attraction once stood.

He says it was difficult for him to come to the memorial where balloons were released Friday in remembrance of 14-year-old Tyre, who died during a visit to Orlando, but Sampson said he is happy to see the ride dismantled. 

“It’s about due time," Sampson said. "I saw the final piece of the ride get taken away yesterday — it was like a bittersweet moment.”

The ride had not operated since the deadly March 24, 2022, incident. Orlando Eagle Drop Slingshot LLC, the owner and operator of the ride, took it down this month following significant public pressure and insistence from the teenager's family.

Sampson says he gathered the strength to come forward to ensure his son is not forgotten.

"My son always knew I promised him a long time ago I was going to be his protector and provider," Sampson said.

“His legacy is more important to me than anything in the world, because money is not going to bring him back," Sampson said. "I haven’t received anything from this fight or this challenge. This is personal to me.”

His fight is to make sure no other parents lose a child on a thrill ride. He is determined to ensure the Florida Legislature passes measures that would make the rides safer.

One of the bills, the Tyre Sampson Act, would ensure new rides more than 100 feet tall add additional safety restraints.

“People come here and spend a lot of money touring," Sampson said. "They want to have fun and come home safely. Unfortunately, my son didn’t have a chance to do that.”

He says it's that fight that helps him push back the pain.

“You realize that you sitting at home not doing nothing is not good enough," Sampson said. "You’re still going to go through the pain. You’re going to have moments you’re not going to eat. You’re going to have physical and mental suffering from the tragedy and trauma, but you just have to continue trying.”

Sampson, who lives in St. Louis where the family is from, said he will closely watch the progress of bills in the Florida Legislature designed to enhance safety requirements for new attractions and shield investigative material from the public during any possible future active ride inquiries.

He said he plans to return to Orlando this summer, hoping the safety laws he for which is advocating are in place by then.