Bumper Crowd Shows Up at Schlitterbahn as Park Reopens Just 3 Days After Caleb Schwab's Death
'I Feel Guilty Having Fun,' Woman Says
A bumper crowd showed up to have fun at the Schlitterbahn Kansas City water park Wednesday with mixed reactions to the ghastly death suffered by 10-year-old Caleb Schwab on the Verrückt slide just three days earlier.
Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio told The Associated Press outside the park's entrance Wednesday that while the company would not discuss the boy's death out of respect for his family, the turnout of patrons was "affirming."
"We didn't know if we'd get five people, 15 people. But this is affirming," she said.
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Sara Craig, 42, who brought her 14-year-old son, Cale, and one of his 13-year-old friends to the park Wednesday told the AP that she felt "guilty" having fun while Caleb's family was hurting from his death.
Caleb's parents are Christian Republican Kansas state Rep. Scott Schwab and his wife, Michele. They have three other sons including, Nate Schwab, who watched his brother's decapitation on the Verrückt Sunday.
"I feel guilty having fun when a family is hurting so badly," said Craig.
Reporter Brian Abel of NBC News said patrons were greeted by a growing memorial for Caleb which was started on Tuesday night at the entrance to the park.
A makeshift wooden fence was also placed around the Verrückt which is now shuttered for the season and about half of the park was closed off. Beyond that, however, most people carried on as normal, according to 41 Action News.
"Everyone acted almost completely normal like obviously when we walked in it was kind of strange knowing that someone lost their life here just two days ago," a woman identifying herself as Emily told 41 Action News. "But it felt like a normal day here at Schlitterbahn. Like we were here last summer and it didn't feel much different than that."
Many of the people the station spoke with explained that they had planned their trip to the park long before Caleb died.
"Tickets were bought last week, and then we heard about the accident. Of course everybody is going to be careful and watch out for their kids but, you know, you got to still have fun," said Adam Weaver who was on a "company fun day."
"Accidents happen every day. There are car wrecks every day [but] we don't stop driving. You got to still have fun. Sorry for the event that happened, but we're still going to come out and have some fun, enjoy the day," Weaver added.
Other patrons, like Hannah Holland who works as a nanny for two young children, said she felt sorry for Caleb's family and was surprised the park opened so early after the boy's death.
"I thought it was really sad and I didn't think the park would be open this soon for us to go," she said. "I just think it's really sad for the family, probably hard for everyone else that's working that was there."
While the Verrückt will remain closed for the rest of the season patrons were divided on whether or not the ride should be reopened to the public.
"I'd say they should probably completely redo the ride. I rode it last summer, and felt it was safe but now realizing that it obviously wasn't. I would definitely say that they need to rethink that whole thing," one man identifying himself as Kyle told 41 Action News.
Emily, however, feels that as long as the park can prove that the ride is safe, it should be allowed to reopen.
"I would just say they need to prove they did a full inspection, that it's completely safe again so that people know that it's safe to ride. I don't think it would be good to shut the whole ride down though permanently," she said.
Visitation for Caleb is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at LifeMission Church in Olathe. A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday at the church.
