Atlanta Teacher Killed in Six Flags Goliath Fall Was Active in Roller Coaster Fan Community

Hassan Kariem, 42, the Atlanta-area teacher who died after falling from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, was an active member of a large online community of amusement park enthusiasts, according to records of the group reviewed after his death.

Kariem had joined the public Facebook group “Roller Coaster Enthusiasts Club” on March 15, about seven months before the fatal ride. The group, founded 15 years ago, has more than 104,000 members who share experiences from parks around the country. Following news of his death, members posted tributes describing Kariem, a cancer survivor, as “one of our own” and a “brother.”

Kariem worked as an IT manager at Wesley International Academy, a charter school in Atlanta, where he had also served as a technology teacher and robotics coach. A spokesperson for the school said staff were “devastated” by his death.

“Throughout his time at Wesley, Mr Kariem served as our IT manager, a technology teacher and a robotics coach, leaving a lasting impact on generations of students and colleagues,” the spokesperson said. “His love for Wesley, dedication to our students, and commitment to our school community were evident in everything he did. Mr. Kariem was deeply loved and respected, and his absence will be felt throughout our school community.”

Kariem was riding Goliath, billed as Georgia’s tallest roller coaster, with his niece when he was ejected from the ride. His official cause of death has not been released, and the incident remains under investigation. Six Flags has closed Goliath indefinitely. “We do not have an anticipated reopening date at this time,” said Richard Pretlow, president of Six Flags Over Georgia.

Witness Accounts

Several riders described the moments leading up to Kariem’s death. One woman who was on the coaster told local station 11 Alive that he did not land directly on her group, but struck another passenger two rows ahead before hitting the ride itself multiple times. “He didn’t fall directly onto us. He fell onto a girl two rows in front of us. He fell and hit the cart three different times,” she said. “He was in our pictures.”

Parkgoer Logan Conner, who was riding Goliath at the same time with his fiancée, said the man “started levitating in the air sideways” as he was thrown from his seat. Nick Mendenhall, who had ridden the coaster with his son shortly before the accident, said he watched Kariem fall headfirst back into the car before being ejected entirely during the ride’s final turn, roughly three and a half minutes into the run.

“It felt like slow-motion, but it happened in an instant,” Mendenhall said. “I was just praying in those moments. I was praying, ‘God, please let him stay in that car.'”

Summer Bates, who had ridden Goliath earlier that day, also witnessed the fall. “One thing I think that will stick with us is the sound of his body coming down,” she said.

Several riders were struck by blood during the incident, and four other people were injured. No further details on their conditions have been released.