Heroic zip-line worker fell to his death to save customer who slid off platform
Topics: Health, US News, California, GoFundMe
Poppy Bilderbeck
Featured Image Credit: GoFundMe/Youtube/La Jolla Zip Zoom
Topics: Health, US News, California, GoFundMe
California zip line worker Joaquin Romero is believed to have sacrificed himself to save a customer.
Social media users are continuing to pay tribute to a 34-year-old who worked at La Jolla Zip Zoom Zipline on the the La Jolla Indian Reservation in northeast San Diego, California.
When zipline worker Joaquin and a customer ended up being pulled back out onto a line and left dangling high in the air, it's reported the dad made a heroic decision.
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On October 30, 2021, a customer had just finished a course at the zipline park when a serious problem arose.
San Diego County Medical Examiner said in a news release issued at the time, as quoted by NBC San Diego: "After grabbing a zip-line harness on a customer to steady them as they landed on the tower platform, the worker and the customer were both pulled off the zip-line tower.
"The worker let go of the harness and fell about 50 feet to the valley floor."
A friend of Joaquin's later came forward to FOX 5 San Diego saying they believe he let go when the pair were pulled out from the platform, aware of the amount of weight of two people putting pressure on the wire and not wanting to risk the woman falling too.
Joaquin was immediately rushed to hospital and is reported as having sustained 'multiple blunt force injuries' in the fall.
Sadly, he was given 'a poor prognosis' and his family 'decided to place him on comfort care measures which were administered until his death,' the medical examiner's office said at the time.
In a statement at the time, La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians’ chairwoman, Norma Contreras, told FOX 5: "We are saddened and heart-broken over the recent tragic accident involving one of our employees at the La Jolla Zip Zoom Zipline. Like any employer, we pride ourselves on having a safe working environment and a safe and enjoyable experience for our customers.
"Given the circumstances of the accident, the Tribe is conducting an in-depth and comprehensive investigation, in coordination and cooperation with federal and state authorities.
"Until this investigation is completed, we won’t be able to provide any further comment on this incident. We ask that you join us in keeping our employee and his family in our prayers."
Investigators later determined La Jolla Zip Zoom Zip Line 'failed to meet their obligation to protect their employees'.
San Diego OSHA area director Derek Engard said: "If they had simply provided the proper protective equipment, this senseless tragedy could have been prevented."
The Department of Labor cited the zipline park for four serious safety violations and the park was given 15 days to respond.
UNILAD has contacted La Jolla Zip Zoom Zip Line for comment.
A GoFundMe was launched shortly after Joaquin's passing to help pay not only for his funeral services, but also to raise savings for his child.