Why This Amputee Army Veteran Is Suing a Six Flags Theme Park
“I’ve never felt disabled,” Larry Panayi says in the video below, “until that day.”
Panayi, an amputee veteran from Fort Worth, Texas, was visiting the Six Flags Over Texas theme park with his family in 2013 when ride operators refused to let him on as many as 13 rides, CBS News reported.
Now, he’s suing Six Flags for disability discrimination.
Panayi says the park would not allow him on the because he has only one leg, despite the fact that in the past he’s been allowed on with no problems. His lawsuit claims that the park’s decision to not allow certain amputees to ride is based on speculation about abilities and not on actual risks to the rider or others.
“I’m here with my little nieces and nephew who look up to Uncle Larry who can do anything and accomplish anything despite his quote unquote disability,” Panayi told CBS News. “And they’re hearing somebody tell me I can’t ride a roller coaster? It’s just not right.”
Get more on the story in the video below:
The Mighty reached out to Six Flags Over Texas for comment but received no response.
Melissa McGlensey is the former News Editor at The Mighty. Her writing can also be seen in Ms. Magazine, on the Ms.Magazine blog and in The Huffington Post’s Good News, Comedy and Impact sections. Melissa is also a New York City comedian who does sketch, improv and stand up. She is passionate about social justice, politics, Thai food, literature, disability rights and more. She is currently in a long-distance relationship with her cat, Sneakers, who lives in California. You can follow her on twitter at @OhHeyMeliss.
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