A 7-year-old boy who was critically injured by a falling drone during a holiday show in downtown Orlando on Saturday remains in intensive care, his mother said in a post on a GoFundMe page on Monday.
“Xander is out of surgery and still fighting!” Jessica Rummedge wrote. “I’ll be off work this time, but he’ll be celebrating Christmas in the ICU.”
Alexander underwent emergency open-heart surgery Sunday after being hit in the chest and mouth by one of several drones that fell from the sky during the Holiday Drone Show at Lake Eola Park.
The US Federal Aviation Administration announced on X (formerly Twitter) Saturday night that it was investigating. As of Tuesday, the cause of the drone collision and fall remained unclear. Approximately 25,000 people attended the evening event.
The boy’s other mother, Adriana Edgerton, said in an interview with WESH-TV that her family was watching a program when multiple drones fell from the sky.
“Everyone’s instinct was to hunker down and disperse,” Edgerton said. “Unbeknownst to us, our daughter found him unconscious on the floor. Blood was coming out of his face.”
A spokesperson for the city of Orlando did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. The city said in a news release that there were “technical issues” during the show.
Just before 7 p.m., the Orlando Fire Department responded to a call of a person being injured by a drone, according to a statement. The city subsequently canceled the 8 p.m. performance.
The show was produced by Fort Worth, Texas-based Sky Elements. Representatives did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment Tuesday.
“Sky Elements Drones sincerely wishes those affected at the Lake Eola Show a full and speedy recovery,” a company statement released Sunday said.
The company says on its website that part of its mission is safety and “protecting spectators, staff and property at all times.”
“Safety is our top priority and we take it to the last minute,” the website states.
Video from the Orlando show posted on social media shows multiple green and red drones falling from the sky. One video posted to X by user MosquitoCoFL Podcast showed Lake Eola’s famous swans flapping their wings and then quickly walking away, causing a drone to fall.
First Published: December 24, 2024 1:37 PM PST
