Who was Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem? A passionate educator and cancer survivor fell to his death from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags in Georgia

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem died after being ejected from a roller coaster at the Six Flags in Georgia. The tragic incident occurred on October 12, 2026. Six Flags in a statement confirmed the park was 'temporarily' shutting down the Goliath roller coaster in which Kariem was riding at the time of the incident. Photos clicked by other visitors also showed him seated in the Goliath roller coaster before he was ejected and fell beneath the ride after hitting a few other people.

According to the police department’s statement, officers working at Six Flags Over Georgia responded to the incident at approximately 3:58 p.m. on October 12. They found Kariem beneath the ride. He was unresponsive and not breathing.

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem’s profile

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem’s relatives are asking people to remember the man he was, not just the fatal roller coaster incident that took his life. The 42-year-old had spent over a decade helping students at Wesley International Academy.


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The family said Kariem was born and raised in Atlanta and loved the city. His relatives described him as kind, thoughtful and committed to the people around him. In an interview with FOX 5 Atlanta, his cousin Geo Ashe described Kariem as the “sunshine of our family.”

The family also requested social media users not to share videos or images showing the final moments of his life. “Please consider the hearts on the other side of the screen,” the family said in the statement. They asked people to respect their privacy as they mourn and to focus on memories shared with the family’s blessing.

In a separate park update, Six Flags Over Georgia president Richard Pretlow said, “We were deeply saddened by the recent incident at the park. Our team responded immediately and cooperated fully with local authorities as they worked to understand what took place. Out of respect for the family's privacy, we will not be sharing additional details at this time.”

He spent more than a decade helping students

Kariem worked at Wesley International Academy, a public charter school in Atlanta, for more than 12 years, according to 11alive. He worked there as a technology teacher. After that he became the school’s IT manager. He also volunteered as a coach for the school’s robotics team.

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As an IT manager, he helped maintain the systems used by students and teachers. His volunteer work with the robotics team also gave students opportunities to learn and work together.

Atlanta Public Schools paid tribute to Kariem after his death. In a statement reported by The Guardian, a district spokesperson said he was a “cherished member of the Wesley International Academy and APS families.”

The district added that his presence and impact would be deeply missed by students, staff and others whose lives he touched.

His relatives also remembered his love for children. Speaking to FOX 5 Atlanta, Geo Ashe said Kariem raised his partner’s daughter as his own. She had been part of his life since she was around two or three years old. “He loved doing that, he loved kids,” Ashe said.

Family says he survived two bouts of cancer

Kariem had faced serious health challenges before his death. His family told 11Alive that he survived two bouts of cancer. His last experience with cancer was in 2018. Kariem and his 10-year-old daughter also survived a car fire about three weeks before his death. They were not injured in that incident.

His cousin Geo Ashe recalled how they would visit their grandmother and then make plans to go to the amusement park once or twice during the summer.

Kariem returned to Six Flags on October 12 with his partner, her daughter and her niece, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. He was seated next to his partner’s niece on the Goliath roller coaster when the incident occurred. Relatives said the girl was not physically injured.

Away from work, Kariem enjoyed engraving, debating and cooking for family gatherings. His cousin remembered the lasagna he brought to his grandmother’s house and the effort he put into preparing food for relatives.