Family sad man took risk for phone

19 Action News Special education teacher James Young was killed after he jumped over this fence into a restricted area to retrieve his belongings after his cellphone and keys fell out of his pocket during a roller coaster ride on the Raptor at Cedar Rapids amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio.

Young’s aunt, Deborah Mohr, said Friday that her nephew was educated and responsible. “He wasn’t someone who would normally disobey the law”.

Mohr said her tall nephew likely thought it easy to scale the fence, get his belongings, then climb back into the public area.

The teacher – who had just landed his dream job as a guidance counsellor at a local high school – was struck and killed by a rollercoaster while searching in a restricted area for this mobile phone.

For James Young, a 45-year-old primary school teacher from Ohio, the end of the US summer was the calm before the storm. “He just loved being with his friends. You have to find what makes every student tick and that’s what he was good at”, said Shaffer.

Guidance counselors were made available Friday at Louisville Elementary for anyone who wished to talk.

“He bought several pair of shoes for children that needed shoes”. He paid for a young girl to go to the prom and bought her a ticket.

Mohr said services for Young have not been set, pending an autopsy.

“That’s the type of person he was”.

Jack Spencer, Young’s uncle, added: “He had a very kind heart. If you ask five people, four of them would know him around here”.

“Safety is always our highest priority here at Cedar Point, and we will continue to be vigilant in our efforts to provide an enjoyable, safe experience for all of our guests”, said park spokesman Bryan Edwards. “He probably felt he could be over in a minute and be back”. He wouldn’t have thought that.

His devastated family and former colleagues hope Young will be remembered more for how he lived than how he died.