The devastating insight into the heartbreak of Shylah Rodden's family has been shared by a close friend of the injured Melbourne woman. Melbourne rollercoaster victim Shylah Rodden was struggling to cope with the loss of her brother when she was hit by a Rebel Coaster traveling at about 70km/h, one of her friends revealed. Ggypo Nawar's 26-year-old friend asked for prayers in a post to Facebook last week after the tragedy, which occurred at the Royal Melbourne Show on September 25. Rodden suffered fractures and brain injuries after being hit by a train, and remains in a coma in hospital.
“Please pray for Shylah Rodden. Shylah Rodden is one of my best friends [and] a heart of gold. Shyla has always been there for me and is always there for everyone, not just her friends," Nawar wrote in his post. “He had a terrible accident at the Melbourne Show and fell into a coma. I don't know his current status but please ask anyone who sees this to make a small prayer for him and his family, no matter how small it may be insha Allah help them heal.
“Shylah and his family lost their son/brother a few months ago and are all still grieving. I saw this pain in Shylah." He added Ms Rodden was someone who "will always try to cheer up anyone who is upset" and will leave without "helping others". “Every day since everyone started [their] prayers, Shylah has increased.” Ms Rodden's condition has been downgraded from critical to serious, Royal Melbourne Hospital confirmed last week.
His friends created a GoFundMe page with the aim of raising $20,000 to help with his old recovery. It has raised over $10,000. The fundraiser was carried out by Rodden's partner, Sylvia Dess, who said she wanted to "raise as much money as I can for Shylah" after the "tragic incident". He is believed to have walked onto the rollercoaster track to retrieve his phone after it fell out of his pocket, with witnesses saying he appeared to be "glued" to something on the ground.
Graphic footage of the incident was uploaded to TikTok, showing Rodden being dragged 9m into the air before falling to the ground. The man who caught the vision said he was filming his sister and partner on their way when he accidentally caught the tragic incident on his camera. "Suddenly, I saw someone being picked up but at the same time I was thinking 'f**k, my sister, my partner,' she told 7 News.
“But you could see he was bending over to pick something up. I don't know if it was a phone or what, but he was so hung up on picking it up that he didn't even see the ride at all." Her family remained with her at the hospital, including her father Alan, who had just left his daughter's bed. The Rebel Coaster reopened on Tuesday after WorkSafe completed an inspection report and declared it safe to operate.
"It appears at this early stage the woman, believed to be in her 20s, may have walked and entered the track to try to pick up a dropped phone before she was hit by a rollercoaster train, around 5:45pm," a Victoria Police spokesman said. "The safety and well-being of our showgoers continues to be our number one priority," said a spokesperson for the Melbourne Royal Show.
“We adhere to strict safety protocols in accordance with Victorian WorkSafe regulations and all rides on site have undergone rigorous compliance checks. “No vehicle is started until it has passed all the required safety and compliance documentation.” Ms Rodden's family is considering legal action against the rollercoaster operator. He previously survived a serious car accident and is also pursuing legal action over the incident.
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