There's nothing more painful as a parent than being forced to stand by and watch your child get left out. Especially when the activity is something your kid really, really wants to do -- and you know she's capable of doing it. I know the word "heartbreaking" isn't the most original way to describe the experience, but it is the most accurate.
I can only imagine how many times 17-year-old Katie Champagne's parents have had their hearts broken. Born without hands, Katie's been left out of countless activities. There's no question her life has been a struggle, despite her parents best efforts to give her a normal childhood.
But that doesn't mean her parents will ever stop standing up for their daughter's right to do whatever it is she wants to do. Like riding rollercoasters.
Katie loves rollercoasters, which is why the Michigan teen was super-psyched to visit Orlando, unofficial rollercoaster capital of the world. So it was a huge disappointment when she was kicked off of two rollercoasters: SeaWorld's Kraken and Universal Studios' Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
Why? Apparently "the manufacturers guidelines require that a guest be able to grasp the pull-down harness with at least one hand."
But Champagne says she can grip the harness with her arm. Not only that, but she says SeaWorld allowed her to ride the Kraken once before.
So Champagne knows she's capable of riding a rollercoaster safely. Her parents do, too. That's why they're working with an attorney to protest what could classify as "an unnecessary distinction and possible violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act."
Which is, if you ask me, exactly what her parents should be doing. When our kids are discriminated against, needlessly left out, it's our job to stand up and give them a voice. Of course it would be a different thing entirely if riding a rollercoaster really was dangerous for Champagne. But it's not. Her parents know she's up to the challenge, and they're going to do their best to make sure the rest of the world knows it, too.
Do you think Katie Champagne's parents should fight for her right to ride rollercoasters?
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Comments 34
I'm sorry but they should not be forced to put someone on a ride that they don't feel meets the safety requirements.
The fact is that disabilities do limit people. It is impossible to make the world accommodate everyone. We can make reasonable accommodations like ramps, raised characters or Braille on keypads, and pings on elevators because they are relatively simple and cheap and benefit a great number of people. Asking a theme park to modify a car to accommodate someone with no hands is not a reasonable accommodation, especially if it means that that car is not accessible to others and/or takes an excessive time to load.
If the regulations are that a person must be able to hold on with their hands, I am sure it is for a reason. I sincerely hope this lawsuit is unsuccesful, because it is not a matter of discrimination but of safety.
to the first comment, yeah he didnt have legs, she just doesnt have hands, just hands, she still has arms and have rode many rollercoasters before, how many people throw their hands in the air when going downhill, theres no reason she couldnt ride
Hmm this is a dream for this girl ... so many handicaps occur I feel all people should be able to follow their dreams...
If the rules clearly state "hands", and she doesn't have them, then she cannot follow the rules. Sometimes life sucks. I hope the amusement park prevails on this case, because we all know if she did ride and was injured, her parents would sue for letting her on.
I feel that the arguement "I throw my hands up" is silly because that's based on preference. There are many that prefer to hold on for stability. Secondly, I echo what RhondaVeggie said.
1) Many roller-coaster manufacturers require that the rider pull down the harness themselves, in an attempt to avoid any lawsuits that might arise if the rider is harnessed to loosely. (yeah, I know, it seems crazy...) It's likely that the manufacture is unsure that a person with no hands can do this effectively and is playing it safe.
2)ADA requirements are very vague when it comes to most amusement park rides. From the ADAAG: "Amusement attractions which have unique designs and features...must comply with ADAAG to the extent possible." That's pretty much it. It's simply impractical to design and build attractions such as rollercoasters to allow for a variety of disabled riders. Not to mention the prohibitive cost. That's why amusement parks are given a lot of ADA leeway.