Curiosity
father grieves son killed by sign: Will keep Praying
father grieves son killed by sign I love you Luke!!
“I love you Luke!!
That’s what a father wrote on Facebook this weekend after a 300-400 pound digital departure-arrival sign collapsed on his son pre-security at the Birmingham Airport. The crushing weight of the sign killed the young boy and left his mother in serious condition.
It was the most unexpected occurrence especially given the $200+ million airport renovation which completed only days ago.
The sign killed a ten year old boy in the family and left the mother in critical condition. Two other siblings were injured but not in any life threatening way. The total number of people injured was five.
The sign was so heavy and awkward that it took between eight and ten people to lift it off the family. The ten year old boy was immediately rushed to Children’s Alabama hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
His name was Luke Bessette. A local Birmingham resident who witnessed the freak accident and also helped lift the board off the family told reporters, “The whole thing flipped down on those kids. It took all of us here to stand it up.” The TSA initiated an immediate safety inspection of all airport flight information signs to prevent any further incident.
“Words cannot describe the pain we feel,” Ryan Bresette wrote Saturday on Facebook, urging people attending church to wear sports jerseys to services in tribute to his sports-loving son.
“Thank you all for the love and support. Keep praying and praying and praying.”
Airport officials also stated that the airport was not closed because of the incident.
Airport spokesperson Toni Herrera-Bast told the ABC News affiliate ABC 3340 that incident was being investigated.
“We’re going to continue to look into the situation, but for now we have secured the site,” said Herrera-Bast.
Airport travelers resumed their normal course of travel while emergency responders tended to the needs of the family.
The Mayor of Birmingham has issued the following statement in support of the Bessette family saying, “I have asked our public safety staff to assist this family in their time of need in any way possible as they grapple with what has happened.”
related video:
On The Web:
Falling Alabama airport sign kills boy, injures 4
http://www.myfoxal.com/story/21769760/child-killed-4-injured-after-status-board-fell-at-birmingham-airport
Airport Sign Falls, Kills 10-Year-Old Boy
http://abcnews.go.com/US/large-airport-sign-falls-family-kills-boy/story?id=18797015#.UU7texyshac
Luke Bresette Killed: Alabama Airport Sign Collapses, Kills 10-Year-Old Boy
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/22/luke-bresette-killed-airport_n_2936072.html
Father grieves son killed by Alabama airport sign’s collapse
http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/23/us/alabama-airport-display-collapse
