PARKLAND, Fla. – A South Florida teenager who was critically injured in a 100-foot fall at a Wisconsin amusement park appeared in front of the media for the first time Monday.
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Teagan Marti's spine was broken in several places on July 30 at Wisconsin's Extreme World. She was on the Terminal Velocity ride, on which riders free-fall before being caught by a net, when she fell 100 feet, close to eight stories, to the concrete ground. Her family said the net was not set up.
Teagan, 13, spent 91 days in hospitals before being released.
In her Parkland home Monday, in front of several news cameras, Teagan cried what her family said were tears of frustration.
"I think it's natural, because I think as this develops, you start to realize all the things you can't do," said Dr. Alex Marti, her father.
"Every day, she does something more to amaze me," said Julie Marti, her mother.
Two weeks ago, Teagan gave a huge smile as she voluntarily donated most of her hair to Locks of Love in order to make wigs for children with cancer.
Teagan can eat on her own, attends occupational and physical therapy five days a week and spends her nights on a ventilator. She can move her arms and legs, but she is still unable to walk.
"She just wants to walk again. She wants to do things," Julie Marti said.
Teagan's family has settled with the amusement park, but her attorney, Stuart Grossman, is now going after the manufacturer of the ride.
"As designed, I'm convinced that the free-fall ride is unsafe. I wouldn't put anyone on one of these machines now," Grossman said.
"I'm not angry. I just want to make sure this doesn't happen again," Alex Marti said.