Latest news with #cliffjumping
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lawsuit filed against Park City Ski and Snowboard after 14-year-old injured cliff-jumping
Editor's Note: A lawsuit only portrays one side of the story. PARK CITY, Utah (ABC4) — The family of a 14-year-old who was injured cliff-jumping in 2021 have filed a lawsuit against Park City Ski and Snowboard. According to the lawsuit filed on May 2, 2025, a then-14-year-old girl and other members of a youth athletics team were encouraged to jump off a cliffside by Park City Ski and Snowboard (PCSS) officials. The girl, who has only been identified as H.K., is a professional Alpine skier who had reportedly trained with PCSS for several years. 'Someone's worst nightmare' — Witness to deadly West Jordan house fire describes rescue of child at the scene H.K. and approximately 21 other youth athletes had travelled with PCSS to a ski training activity at Mt. Hood, Oregon. On June 30, 2021, the team went cliff jumping at Punchbowl Falls, from heights approximately twenty to seventy feet above the water. The girl had jumped from the cliff several times, before landing on rocks and 'shattering many of the bones of both of her feet and ankles'. H.K. jumping from the cliffside, minutes before the jump that injured her. Taken from official lawsuit filing document. The injuries sustained will apparently require years of physical therapy and medical intervention and have limited her 'ability to pursue her skiing and other athletic goals and opportunities'. The lawsuit alleges that Park City Ski and Snowboard officials' actions led to H.K.'s injuries, as they were actively encouraging the youth team to cliff-jump without proper training, and breached their risk-reduction duties. According to the lawsuit, H.K. and other individuals were likely to fully trust PCSS coaches and staff, due to their athletic status and connection to 'world class athletes'. Additionally, PCSS allegedly only informed parents that they would be conducting 'dryland' activities, not cliff-jumping. Former Washington Co. Sheriff's deputy charged with allegedly creating CSAM of children PCSS does not have a cliff-jumping team, and the plaintiffs believe that the coaches should have reasonably known how dangerous cliff-jumping is. They also believe that the coaches were clearly not proficient in cliff jumping and should not have encouraged H.K. and other youth to cliff-jump without proper training. The attorneys for H.K. and her family released a statement, saying: 'This case is about a young girl who was catastrophically injured after her coaches, without her parents' knowledge or consent, pressured her to jump off a cliff. H.K. was only fourteen. She trusted her coaches. That trust was betrayed. Her injuries are permanent. Her pain is daily. Her dreams have been stolen. No child should be put in that position. No family should have to endure this. We filed this lawsuit to hold those responsible accountable and to prevent this from happening to anyone else.' The plaintiffs are seeking financial and punitive damages from the defendants for the physical and emotional difficulties they experienced after H.K's injury. ABC4 also reached out to Park City Ski and Snowboard, who said they cannot comment on pending litigation. This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available. Latest headlines: Republicans eye efforts to quiet Epstein uproar but can't quash it Utah spends the 3rd lowest amount of income on childcare in nation: Wallethub Utah's air tanker bases have already used 1.2 million gallons of retardant fighting wildfires One dead after Orem house fire Friday morning Officials warn of potential flash floods in burn scars and Zion National Park Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Influencer cops backlash after tossing son off cliff for ‘fun'
A former tech founder turned 'adventure journalist' extraordinaire, recently posted a video that left viewers equally horrified and impressed. The viral Instagram video on Garrett Gee's family's Instagram account, @thebucketlistfamily, which has amassed almost 4 million views, sees Gee with his son on a large rock ledge, jutting out over Lake Powell, a reservoir between Arizona and Utah. Cali, 7, Gee's son, initially appeared apprehensive about jumping into the water, but before long, his father threw him from the rock. 'To be extra safe, because he wanted to jump but was not feeling confident, I threw him,' the influencer clarified in the lengthy caption. He continued, 'Eventually, a baby eagle needs to leave the nest … or be tossed out of the nest.' He also added the way he and his wife 'parent, discipline, and teach how to cliff jump is quite different, depending on the child, as all three kids are unique'. 'We took our youngest Cali to a cliff height that we knew he would be safe. Really, the biggest danger would be if he hesitated, didn't jump far out, and fell down the cliffside.' The older two kids followed in Cali's footsteps and enthusiastically jumped off the taller section of the boulder soon after. Gee's parenting philosophy, according to him, emphasises safety, bravery and exploration. He travels around the world with his family to give his kids these experiences. While some viewers commend Gee and his wife for this approach, others have said this video goes too far, and criticise the couple for 'exploiting their kids on social media,' as one user put it. 'Trauma therapy up ahead for these kids,' wrote one concerned commenter. 'Absolutely unacceptable, man. Not cool at all. As you said, every child needs different treatment, and you can't possibly predict how he feels about this subconsciously about this act. I sincerely hope it will not grow esoterically as a projection of paternal betrayal,' chastised another. Some viewers believed the outrage in the comments was overblown and said as long as the kids are safe and happy, there's no harm done. 'You guys know this already, but for others reading, please make sure you centre safety with cliff jumping and teach your kids how before they just go out and do it,' advised one user. 'This can be such a fun activity!! But safety, safety, safety first!!' 'I visit Lake Powell very often. People need to understand that what they jumped off is a small cliff. Probably not even 10 feet high. Lake Powell does not encourage 'cliff jumping' over a certain height,' a local said. Despite the online backlash, Gee's son seemed to be fine with the stunt — unsurprisingly, a short, but action-packed lifetime of surfing, hot air balloon expeditions and hiking will do that to a kid. Kids in influencer families sometimes struggle to balance their parents' work on social media with their own interests, hobbies and educations — one child was even pulled out of school at age 12 to kickstart her content creation career. As their kids have gotten older, Gee and his wife decided to buy a house in Hawaii, and are open about how their kids attend public school, and the family does their serious travelling during breaks.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Travel influencer faces backlash after tossing son, 7, off a cliff for ‘fun': ‘Absolutely unacceptable'
This travel pro parent was under the influence of a bad idea. Garrett Gee, a former tech founder turned 'adventure journalist' extraordinaire, recently posted a video that left viewers equally horrified and impressed. The viral Instagram video on his family's Instagram account, @thebucketlistfamily, which has amassed almost 4 million views, sees Gee with his son on a large rock ledge, jutting out over Lake Powell, a reservoir between Arizona and Utah. Cali, Gee's 7-year-old son, initially appeared apprehensive about jumping into the water, but before long, his father threw him off the rock. 'To be extra safe, because he wanted to jump but was not feeling confident, I threw him,' the influencer clarified in the lengthy caption. He continued, 'Eventually, a baby eagle needs to leave the nest … or be tossed out of the nest.' He also added that the way he and his wife 'parent, discipline, and teach how to cliff jump is quite different, depending on the child, as all three kids are unique. 'We took our youngest Cali to a cliff height that we knew he would be safe. Really, the biggest danger would be if he hesitated, didn't jump far out, and fell down the cliffside.' The older two kids followed in Cali's footsteps and enthusiastically jumped off the taller section of the boulder soon after. Gee's parenting philosophy, according to him, emphasizes safety, bravery and exploration, and travels around the world with his family to give his kids these experiences. While some viewers commend Gee and his wife for this approach, others have said this video goes too far, and criticize the couple for 'exploiting their kids on social media,' as one user put it. 'Trauma therapy up ahead for these kids,' wrote one concerned commenter. 'Absolutely unacceptable, man. Not cool at all. As you said, every child needs different treatment, and you can't possibly predict how he feels about this subconsciously about this act. I sincerely hope it will not grow esoterically as a projection of paternal betrayal,' chastised another. Some viewers believed the outrage in the comments was overblown and said as long as the kids are safe and happy, there's no harm done. 'You guys know this already, but for others reading, please make sure you center safety with cliff jumping and teach your kids how before they just go out and do it,' advised one user. 'This can be such a fun activity!! But safety, safety, safety first!!' 'I visit Lake Powell very often. People need to understand that what they jumped off is a small cliff. Probably not even 10 feet high. Lake Powell does not encourage 'cliff jumping' over a certain height,' a local said. Despite the online backlash, Gee's 7-year-old son seemed to be fine with the stunt — unsurprisingly, a short, but action-packed lifetime of surfing, hot air balloon expeditions and hiking will do that to a kid. Kids in influencer families sometimes struggle to balance their parents' work on social media with their own interests, hobbies and educations — one child was even pulled out of school at age 12 to kickstart her content creation career. As their kids have gotten older, Gee and his wife decided to buy a house in Hawaii, and are open about how their kids attend public school, and the family does their serious travelling during breaks. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Influencer's video of throwing young son off cliff sparks parenting debate
A video on social media from an influencer family has sparked mixed reactions from its followers. Garrett Gee of The Bucket List Family posted a now-viral video that shows him throwing his youngest son, Calihan, off a cliff in a lake to teach him to cliff jump. 'So be extra safe, because he wanted to jump but was not feeling confident..I threw him,' Gee wrote in the post. 'Eventually a baby eagle needs to leave the be tossed out of the nest and learn HE CAN FLY!' In the video, Gee is seen with his son standing on a rock, talking to him about the jump into the water. He then picks his son up and tosses him off the cliff. Gee's son can be seen popping to the surface of the water with a smile on his face, and Gee jumping in after him. Gee explained the video is 'NOT parental advice' nor 'something I advise you try.' He also mentioned this was not something the family had done with all of the kids. 'Each kid is quite different so the way we parent, discipline, and teach HOW TO CLIFF JUMP is quite different,' Gee continued. Opposing views filled the comments about the video. 'Coming from someone who grew up in a very fear-based/avoid all forms of struggle environment: you training your children to be courageous and to confront their fears is an absolute GIFT to their future selves,' one supporter commented. 'Nope. I've worked as a therapist with pediatric brain injury. Accidents happen; from some you never recover. Just my two cents,' another user said, condemning the video. Another user asked, 'honest question, no judgement. Did he know he was going to be thrown?' The dad influencer replied with, 'YES. He had the choice to climb down, jump himself, or have me throw him. He chose to be thrown. But regardless it was still scary for him.' More Entertainment Content: Worcester woman wins $1M prize in '$2,000,000 Diamond Cashword' lottery game These are the most frequently drawn numbers in Powerball and Mega Millions games Winning $100,000 Mass Cash ticket sold at Western Mass. grocery store Mass. State Lottery winner: $1 million ticket sold at Millbury liquor store Read the original article on MassLive. Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Travel influencer sparks fury after tossing son off a cliff in 'wild' parenting moment on lake trip
A popular travel influencer is facing backlash online after posting a controversial video of himself throwing his young son off a cliff. Garrett Gee, 35, the patriarch of the well-known influencer family known as 'The Bucket List Family, ' described the moment as part of his 'unique' parenting style. The video, shared on Instagram on July 12, was filmed during a recent family trip to Lake Powell - a reservoir on the Colorado River in Utah and Arizona. It shows Gee teaching his youngest child, Calihan 'Cali' Gee, how to cliff jump. The clip opens with an on-screen message warning: 'Most people won't love how we teach our kids how to cliff jump.' In the video, Cali appears hesitant as he approaches the edge of the rock and reaches for his father's hand. He then turns away, shielding his eyes in what appears to be fear. Moments later, Gee lifts his son and throws him off the cliff into the water below as Cali can be heard screaming during the descent. The video then cuts to the family's two older children, Dorothy and Manilla, jumping from the same cliff together. Anticipating the controversy, Gee included a disclaimer in the caption: 'This is NOT parental advice. This is NOT something I advise you try. Also, this is NOT something we've done with all of our kids. Each kid is quite different…' He later defended the decision, saying that throwing Cali was a calculated choice made with safety in mind. Gee claimed he selected a safe height and wanted to prevent his son from hesitating and potentially injuring himself. 'He wanted to jump but was not feeling confident… I threw him,' Gee explained, comparing the moment to a baby eagle being nudged from the nest. 'Eventually a baby eagle needs to leave the nest... or be tossed out of the nest ;) and learn HE CAN FLY!' Online critics were quick to respond, with some applauding the family's adventurous lifestyle and praising the father-of-three for teaching courage and trust. 'Coming from someone who grew up in a very fear-based/avoid all forms of struggle environment: you training your children to be courageous and to confront their fears is an absolute GIFT to their future selves,' one supporter wrote. Others, however, were disturbed by the video and questioned its ethics and safety. 'Honest question, no judgment. Did he know he was going to be thrown?' one commenter asked. Gee replied, 'YES. He had the choice… He chose to be thrown.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Garrett Gee (@garrettgee) The Bucket List Family first gained attention in 2015 after Garrett Gee sold his mobile app, Scan, to Snapchat for a reported $54 million Despite trying to keep the tone light - even joking that brave kids might one day jump from heights their parents wouldn't dare - the video has sparked a broader debate about parenting in the influencer era. 'Cliff jumping is very very dangerous! Ask an ER doctor or nurse. How do you reconcile that as a parent?' one critic commented. 'This is about the dad, not about the emotional safety and wellbeing of the family,' another added. 'Negligent and irresponsible just for views?!!' a third wrote. Gee, however, seemed unfazed by the uproar. In response to one commenter about the backlash, he wrote, 'Eh, that's basically everything on the internet these days ;)' He ended the post with a message that straddled encouragement and caution: 'But warning: teaching your kids to be brave starts to backfire when they become older and begin jumping from heights that you don't even dare!! /// BE SAFE OUT THERE! YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS! HAVE FUN!' The Bucket List Family first gained attention in 2015 after Garrett Gee sold his mobile app, Scan, to Snapchat for a reported $54 million. A former BYU student and Mormon missionary, Gee chose to invest the money and live simply. He and his wife, Jessica, 39, sold their belongings and embarked on a global adventure with their children, documenting their experiences as a family travel journal on social media. Over the past decade, the Gees have visited more than 90 countries and built a brand rooted in 'family, faith, and fearlessness.' Their nomadic lifestyle has earned them millions of followers and partnerships with global brands and tourism boards. Although they established a home base in Hawaii in 2018, the family continues to travel extensively. In a 2023 interview with Jessica reflected on the joys of their unconventional lifestyle:
