The Heckemer Estate was awarded $2.85 million from Darien Lake, the land owner of the amusement park. The investigation concluded the roller coaster attendants, aged 22, 21 and 18, ignored the theme park’s policy regarding safety. The requirements for the Ride of Steel state, “Must have upper body control, two legs and the complete use of at least one hand. No artificial limbs may be worn. Riders must be within a certain range of size and physical dimensions.” Hackemer who lost his left leg and most of his right leg as a result of a roadside bomb in 2009 while deployed to Iraq. He was not wearing his prosthetic legs at the time of the accident.
