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The father of a boy who was decapitated while on the 'World's Tallest Waterslide' has revealed his heartbreaking final words before he died.
As previously reported, 10-year-old Caleb Schwab was tragically killed on August 7, 2016, in one of the most chilling accidents at a waterpark.
Located within the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, the colossal Verrückt, meaning "insane" in German, once proudly held the title of the world's tallest waterslide, standing at a breathtaking height of nearly 169 feet.
Taller than Niagara Falls, this record-breaking attraction offered daring park visitors the chance to hurtle down a 17-story vertical chute at an astonishing speed of 70 miles per hour.
Caleb, part of the Schwab family renowned for their involvement in the Kansas House of Representatives as Republican members, was enjoying a visit to the water park on Elected Officials Day, gaining free admission as a courtesy from the park.
He and his siblings had chosen to take on the ride, with his then-12-year-old brother, Nathan going ahead of Caleb and his two sisters.
However, tragedy struck when Caleb went down the slide, with an investigation later revealing that the raft he'd been on had become "airborne", propelling Caleb into the netting above the slide, and immediately decapitating him, ending his life.
Tragically, Nathan had witnessed his little brother's death, and had the harrowing job of telling his parents about the traumatic experience, per ABC News.
The boys' mother, Michelle Schwab, said: "[Nathan] was screaming, 'He flew from the Verrückt, he flew from the Verrückt.'"
She added: "There was a gentleman who wouldn’t allow me to come close enough to see what was going on, and he just kept saying, 'Trust me, you don’t want to go any further'. I kind of knew in my mind that I shouldn’t see it, that I probably don’t want to see it."
Caleb's lifeless body floated in the pool of the slide as park staff rushed to help, and emergency services were quickly summoned as the area was cordoned off to shield other park-goers from the distressing scene.
Caleb's father, Scott Schwab, revealed that he kept asking the bystander that shielded his wife from the scene if his son was dead, adding: "It was surreal. I don’t even hardly remember driving home."
He also shared the final words Caleb had spoken to him before embarking on the ride, revealing: "Before they took off I said, ‘Brothers stick together.’ And he said, 'I know dad.'"
After the tragedy, the park said in a statement, per ABC News: "In our five decades of creating a space for families and friends to gather, we have never encountered such a devastating incident. The well-being of our staff and guests remains our utmost priority.
"Ensuring safety has always been our foremost concern. We are dedicated to upholding effective guidelines that enhance the safety of both guests and staff members. Our safety procedures continue to be under review," Schlitterbahn added.
The tragedy has since been the subject of a documentary titled The World's Tallest Water Slide Was a Terrible, Tragic Idea, which is available to watch on YouTube.
Director Nathan Truesdell, a filmmaker from Missouri, was captivated by the story after encountering it in the news. Initially dismissing it as a "freak accident," he delved deeper and recognized the intricate layers of the narrative. "I soon realized the complexity of this tale, and how anyone who experienced that slide could have met the same fate," Truesdell shared.
A grand jury brought charges of second-degree murder against Schlitterbahn's co-owner Jeff Henry and senior designer of the slide John Schooley.
After protracted legal battles, the Schwab family received substantial settlements amounting to nearly $20 million from the involved companies, according to court documents.
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