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Family of 2-year-old boy killed by alligator will not sue Disney

Posted at 12:49 PM, Jul 20, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-20 12:49:55-04

ORLANDO, Fla. — The family of Lane Graves, the 2-year-old boy who was killed by an alligator at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa in June, will not sue Disney.

“Melissa and I are broken. We will forever struggle to comprehend why this happened to our sweet baby, Lane. As each day passes, the pain gets worse, but we truly appreciate the outpouring of sympathy and warm sentiments we have received from around the world,” Matt and Melissa Graves said in a statement released on Wednesday.

The family said they are now focused on the Lane Thomas Foundation and sharing Lane’s “unimaginable” love.

“In addition to the foundation, we will solely be focused on the future health of our family and will not be pursuing a lawsuit against Disney,” the family said.

You can read the family’s full statement below:

“Melissa and I are broken. We will forever struggle to comprehend why this happened to our sweet baby, Lane. As each day passes, the pain gets worse, but we truly appreciate the outpouring of sympathy and warm sentiments we have received from around the world. We know that we can never have Lane back, and therefore, we intend to keep his spirit alive through the Lane Thomas Foundation. It is our hope that through the foundation we will be able to share with others the unimaginable love Lane etched in our hearts. In addition to the foundation, we will solely be focused on the future health of our family and will not be pursuing a lawsuit against Disney. For now, we continue to ask for privacy as we focus on our family.”

Shortly after the attack last month, Disney issued a statement on new safety barriers being installed at its resort beaches.

“We are installing signage and temporary barriers at our resort beach locations and are working on permanent, long-term solutions at our beaches,” Jacquee Wahler, vice president of Walt Disney World Resort, said in a statement on June 17.

Earlier this week, crews began installing permanent rock barriers on the beaches at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.