The parents of Lane Graves, the 2-year-old boy who was killed by an alligator at the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in June, have revealed that they do not wish to press charges against Disney for the horrific tragedy. Regardless that there were no signs at the time of the attack that indicated alligators were in that lagoon water, Matt and Melissa Graves have decided to “focus on their family” instead of getting even.
“We know that we can never have Lane back, and therefore, we intend to keep his spirit alive through the Lane Thomas Foundation,” a statement released by the Graves family on July 20 said. “It is our hope that through the foundation we will be able to share with others the unimaginable love Lane etched in our hearts. In addition to the foundation, we will solely be focused on the future health of our family and will not be pursuing a lawsuit against Disney. For now, we continue to ask for privacy as we focus on our family.”
Lane Graves: See Pics Of The Young Boy Who Was Killed By An Alligator At A Disney Resort
So beautiful — talk about a great way to turn something tragic into something meaningful. Lane’s father also said in the statement that “Melissa and I are broken. We will forever struggle to comprehend why this happened to our sweet baby, Lane. As each day passes, the pain gets worse, but we truly appreciate the outpouring of sympathy and warm sentiments we have received from around the world.”
And there’s no question there’s been an outpour of support for the Graves family. Since their little boy’s untimely death, many other families have come forward with their own stories of alligator sightings at Disney. Clearly Disney was well aware of their alligator problem. In addition, last week, emails revealed that firefighters at the resort had actually been feeding nearby alligators, which is illegal, just months before Lane’s death.
Since, the cooperation has made many changes including roping off access to waterfront areas. Disney has also installed signs warning guests of alligators. And while the Graves could sue Disney if they wanted to, we think it’s extremely admirable that they are choosing to instead focus on Lane’s legacy instead. The Lane Thomas Foundation, which was originally announced last month, will contribute to various charitable causes, which is truly amazing.
Tell us, HollywoodLifers, do you agree with the Graves family for not suing Disney? Do you think Disney SHOULD be sued?