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Boy undergoes heart surgery after drones crash in Florida holiday show mishap, parents say

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Published  December 24, 2024 10:08am PST
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FOX 35 Orlando

Drones crash at Orlando holiday show: 7-year-old undergoes surgery

A 7-year-old boy underwent open-heart surgery after drones came crashing down during a holiday light drone show at Lake Eola Park in Orlando, Florida.

The Brief

    • The Orlando Fire Department confirmed one person was taken to a local hospital after suffering an injury at the holiday light drone show at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando on Saturday.
    • FOX 35 News spoke with the parents of a 7-year-old boy who was injured during the incident.
    • His parents said he was knocked out on impact when a drone came crashing down into the crowd. He sustained a chest injury and underwent open-heart surgery the following day.

ORLANDO, Fla. - One person was taken to an area hospital for an injury after red and green-lit drones collided and plummeted into a crowd at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando during a holiday drone show on Saturday, authorities said.

FOX 35 News spoke with the family of Alezander, a 7-year-old boy, who was injured in the incident.

His parents, Adriana Edgerton and Jessica Lumsden, said one of the drones knocked him out on impact, causing a chest injury.

Alezander, 7, underwent open heart surgery after suffering an injury during the City of Orlando's holiday drone show at Lake Eola Park on Saturday, his parents told FOX 35 News. (Credit: Adriana Edgerton)

Alezander underwent open-heart surgery the following day, according to his family. 

Lumsden told FOX 35 News on Tuesday that their son is stable after surgery. Alezander is "still being monitored but he hasn't given up and is so determined to walk again," she said in a statement. They will be spending the Christmas holiday in the intensive care unit (ICU).

RELATED | Drones crash at Orlando holiday show, injuring young boy: What happened?

A video shared with FOX 35 News captured drones crashing into the lake and veering close to spectators. Shortly after, the City of Orlando canceled the second show, citing technical difficulties in a statement on X.

A spokesperson for the City of Orlando confirmed that the FAA is leading the investigation. "We are in contact with the vendor to determine what occurred," the spokesperson said.

Drones crash at Orlando Christmas show: FAA opens investigation

The City of Orlando canceled the second show of the evening citing ‘technical difficulties’.

Typically, during a synchronized drone show, the drones are linked up by GPS. Experts suggested various potential causes for the malfunction. 

Drone expert, Dr. Vivek Sharma of Florida Institute of Technology, speculated that the failure might stem from GPS interference, programming errors, or drone collisions.

It is not yet clear what led to the drone malfunctions. 

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The Source: Information provided for this article came from the Federal Aviation Administration, the City of Orlando, the Orlando Fire Department and details provided by Adriana Edgerton and Jessica Lumsden, whose son was hurt during the drone show.

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