EXCLUSIVE: Family of 2-Year-Old Killed by an Alligator at Disney World Gives Update on Lives Now, 10 Years After His Death
The family of a 2-year-old boy who was killed by an alligator at a Disney resort is marking the 10-year anniversary of his loss with a moving tribute to his life and legacy.
Matt and Melissa Graves will release a video on the Lane Thomas Foundation website on June 14 honoring their late son, Lane Thomas Graves, and thanking everyone for all their support in the past decade.
The couple shared an exclusive look at the nine-minute tribute video with NBC News correspondent Joe Fryer on TODAY June 12, two days ahead of the anniversary of their son’s tragic death in 2016.
The video not only documents Lane’s short life, but also the enduring impact of the foundation created by his parents in his name.
“Lane had a special light about him and cared for his family deeply,” his parents told Fryer in a phone interview. “We simply want to shine a light on our beautiful, blue-eyed boy at this very difficult milestone.”
Lane was killed on June 14, 2016, when an alligator snatched him at the shoreline of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. The alligator dragged him into the nearby lagoon as his father tried desperately to free him. His body was recovered a day later.
His family created the Lane Thomas Foundation in his memory, with a focus of raising awareness about pediatric organ donation. More than 2,200 children are currently on the national transplant waiting list for an organ donation.
“We promised him at his wake, we would turn this tragedy into good for many families,” Matt Graves said in a video for the foundation.
The organization also offers financial assistance to parents so they can leave work to care for their children without having to worry about expenses like rent or car payments. The foundation has helped about 200 families over its existence.
Lane remains a constant presence at the family’s Nebraska home, where his siblings, Ella, 14, and Christian, 7, who was born two years after Lane’s death, keep his spirit alive. Ella, who was only 4 when Lane was killed, recently spoke at a fundraising gala for the foundation.
“I can promise you, we will not stop helping these sick kids,” she said at the event. “We have just started this journey, and I have some big plans for what will come next. Stay tuned for the amazing adventures in the future. And we are so thankful for your support.”
The foundation has attracted support from big names like country music star Tim McGraw, Grammy-winning producer and musician David Foster and legendary Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.
The organization’s logo is a lighthouse in honor of the beaming light of love Lane shared with the world in his short time. Disney World also unveiled a lighthouse sculpture in 2017 near the Seven Seas Lagoon beach in honor of the little boy.
“We find comfort that so many people continue to remember our sweet boy, Lane, and we believe the lighthouse stands as a beacon of hope and support for families in the depths of despair,’’ the family said in a statement to TODAY in 2017.
