Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem had already overcome serious challenges in his life, including cancer and a frightening vehicle fire just weeks before his death. But on October 12, 2026, the 42-year-old Georgia man died after being ejected from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, leaving his family devastated and searching for answers.

Kariem’s sister, Andrea Clark, described him as a remarkable person who had overcome extraordinary obstacles. Speaking to the New York Post, she recalled that her brother had been in remission from cancer since 2015 and had recently survived what she described as a “crazy” car fire.

The sudden loss has left relatives struggling to reconcile the challenges Kariem had survived with the circumstances of his final day. His death has also prompted a major safety investigation into the Goliath roller coaster, one of the signature attractions at the amusement park in Georgia.

Authorities have not publicly established what caused Kariem to fall from the ride. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, while Six Flags has said it is cooperating with the authorities.

A MAN WHO HAD ALREADY OVERCOME SERIOUS CHALLENGES
For Clark, her brother’s death was especially difficult to comprehend because of everything he had already endured.

She told the New York Post that Kariem had been in cancer remission for more than a decade. His recovery had allowed him to continue building his life and supporting the people closest to him.

Clark described him as her hero and spoke emotionally about the close relationship they shared. She recalled looking up to him and said he was an important part of her life.

According to her account, Kariem had also survived a vehicle fire approximately one month before the roller coaster incident. The frightening experience was another challenge he had managed to overcome, making the circumstances of his sudden death even harder for his family to process.

Clark said that although her brother had dealt with other health-related issues, she considered him healthy and physically capable. She struggled to understand how the tragedy could have happened.

Her comments reflected the shock experienced by relatives who had watched Kariem overcome difficult circumstances and believed he had more years ahead of him.

The family’s recollections provide a picture of Kariem beyond the headlines surrounding the amusement park incident. They describe a man whose life had included serious challenges but who remained deeply valued by the people closest to him.

THE FATAL INCIDENT AT SIX FLAGS OVER GEORGIA
The incident occurred on Monday, October 12, at Six Flags Over Georgia in Mableton, near Atlanta.

Kariem was riding Goliath, a large hypercoaster that reaches heights of approximately 200 feet and speeds of up to 70 miles per hour.

Cobb County police confirmed that a person had died following the incident. Authorities subsequently identified the victim as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42.

Witnesses described a frightening scene as the roller coaster continued through the incident. One visitor told local television station WXIA that Kariem appeared in a souvenir photograph taken during the ride.

The witness said Kariem fell and struck the coaster vehicle several times. Other witnesses described seeing the incident unfold and hearing people screaming as passengers and visitors reacted.

According to reporting on the incident, Kariem was riding with his son. His wife and daughter were reportedly watching from the ground rather than riding on the attraction.

Police have said that Kariem was ejected from the ride and that several other people were injured. The circumstances surrounding the fall remain under investigation.

The incident also left other passengers stranded on the attraction when the ride stopped. Emergency crews eventually helped evacuate those riders from the elevated track.

For people who had arrived at the park expecting an ordinary day of entertainment, the incident turned into a deeply distressing experience.

HIS SISTER SPEAKS OUT ABOUT THE CIRCULATION OF IMAGES
Alongside her grief, Clark expressed anger about disturbing images showing her brother’s final moments being shared online.

She urged people to stop circulating the material, describing the behavior as cruel and questioning why people would distribute such images during a family’s time of loss.

Her comments highlighted another difficulty faced by relatives after a highly publicized accident: the loss of privacy while trying to mourn someone they loved.

Witness accounts and images from the scene quickly spread across social media following the incident. While such material can attract widespread attention, its circulation can also intensify the distress experienced by families who are already dealing with an unexpected death.

Clark’s appeal was a request for people to remember that the person shown in those images was a real individual with loved ones who are grieving.

For the family, Kariem was not simply the victim in a widely discussed amusement park incident. He was a brother, father figure, and loved one whose life had included relationships and experiences that could not be captured by a few seconds of footage.

A DEVOTED FAMILY MAN
Those who spoke about Kariem after his death emphasized his commitment to the people around him.

Clark told the New York Post that her brother worked hard to provide for his family. She also described his relationship with his fiancée’s daughter, whom he had known since she was three years old.

Her account portrayed him as someone who took family responsibilities seriously and made an effort to be present in the lives of the people he loved.

Kariem’s death therefore left more than the immediate grief of losing a sibling or partner. It also created an absence in the lives of the children and relatives who had relied on him.

The family has had to confront that loss while details about the incident continue to emerge through witness accounts and the official investigation.

The personal memories shared by relatives have helped bring attention to the life Kariem led before the accident, including the years he spent overcoming illness and supporting his loved ones.

KARIEM WORKED IN EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Kariem was employed by Atlanta Public Schools as an IT manager at Wesley International Academy, a charter school in Atlanta.

Following his death, Atlanta Public Schools issued a statement expressing condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

The school district described him as a valued member of the Wesley International Academy and Atlanta Public Schools communities, noting the impact he had on students and staff.

The statement reflected the loss felt beyond Kariem’s immediate family. His death also affected colleagues who knew him through his work and the wider school community where he had been employed.

While much of the public discussion has focused on the roller coaster and the investigation, tributes from the school district have emphasized the personal and professional relationships that formed part of his life.

Those expressions of sympathy have accompanied calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

INVESTIGATORS EXAMINE THE GOLIATH ROLLER COASTER
The fatal incident has prompted a detailed investigation into the Goliath attraction and the circumstances that led to Kariem’s fall.

Cobb County police are investigating the incident, while state authorities are examining ride safety and related issues. Officials have not announced a definitive explanation for what happened.

The coaster had undergone a state inspection on March 16, 2026, according to inspection information cited in subsequent reporting. The inspection did not identify any reported violations or deficiencies at that time.

However, an inspection conducted months before an accident cannot, by itself, establish the condition of the ride at the time of the incident or determine what caused a particular event.

Investigators will need to consider the available evidence, including the ride’s operation, restraint system, relevant maintenance information, and witness accounts. Any conclusions about the cause must come from the investigation rather than speculation.

Following the incident, Goliath was taken out of service pending further examination.

Six Flags said it was cooperating fully with authorities and expressed condolences to Kariem’s family, friends, and loved ones. The company also said it was providing support to guests and employees affected by the incident.

SIMILAR RIDES TEMPORARILY CLOSED AS A PRECAUTION
The incident also led Six Flags to temporarily close certain similar attractions at other parks while safety concerns were reviewed.

The precautionary closures brought additional attention to the restraint systems used on some large roller coasters. Goliath uses a clamshell-style restraint system, and investigators are examining the circumstances of the incident to determine what role, if any, the ride’s design or equipment may have played.

The temporary closure of comparable attractions does not establish that they are unsafe or that the same problem occurred at multiple parks. It is a precaution while the company and relevant authorities review the situation.

The case has nevertheless raised questions about how amusement parks inspect attractions, monitor restraint systems, and respond when a serious incident occurs.

Those questions are particularly significant for rides that operate at considerable heights and speeds, where the consequences of a restraint failure or other unexpected event can be severe.

Officials have not publicly announced a final finding regarding the cause of Kariem’s fall.

SIX FLAGS OVER GEORGIA REOPENS, BUT GOLIATH REMAINS CLOSED
Six Flags Over Georgia reopened to visitors on Friday, October 16, after temporarily closing following the incident.

The park’s reopening did not mean the investigation had concluded. Goliath remained closed while authorities continued examining the fatal event.

The distinction matters because the operation of the wider amusement park and the status of the specific attraction are separate issues. The park could resume other activities while the ride at the center of the investigation remained unavailable.

Authorities have emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, and no final conclusions about the cause of the incident have been announced.

For visitors, the accident has inevitably raised concerns about ride safety. For Kariem’s family, however, the central issue remains the loss of someone they loved and the need for answers about what happened.

A FAMILY LEFT WITH QUESTIONS
Clark’s recollections of her brother have made the tragedy especially poignant. Kariem had survived cancer, recovered from a frightening vehicle fire, and continued working and caring for the people around him.

His family is now facing a sudden loss that they could not have anticipated.

The circumstances of his death remain under investigation, and it is not yet possible to say what caused him to fall from Goliath. Authorities must establish the relevant facts before drawing conclusions about whether equipment, operational conditions, or another factor contributed to the incident.

For now, his sister’s public comments have focused on remembering the person he was and asking others to respect the family’s grief, particularly by not sharing disturbing images of his final moments.

The investigation may eventually answer questions about the ride and the events of October 12. It cannot undo the loss experienced by Kariem’s loved ones.

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem was 42 when he died at Six Flags Over Georgia. His sister remembers him as a hero who had overcome serious challenges, while investigators continue working to establish exactly what happened on the Goliath roller coaster.

SOURCES
Fox News — Six Flags rider who fell to his death was in remission from cancer and survived a recent car fire, sister says