Tragic Balcony Fall Kills American Toddler In Pattaya

[Jingthing]

An absolute tragedy and nothing can be done to bring the poor little Mike back nor settle his family. Yet another tragic loss of life and a YET ANOTHER wakeup call for <deleted> lazy thai authorities to start doing their job checking poorly designed and illegal balcony rails / ballustrading in this country. Most are not correct height and many have horizontal slats which should be illegal (because cheaper than vertical ones.. less material used in the former) without legal spacing. Youngsters see it as a ladder to climb up or or through if spacing too great. If you go back to the source of the problem nickel and dime developers who place no value on someone's life. A senseless waste of poor little Mike's life and it will not be the last. a question for authorities.. are the View Talay 2 balcony rails legal? How many are not? I stayed in Furama hotel on Jomtien beach and the balcony rails are 90cm high? Scary? Many others are this or less. Surely not legal height!

This perhaps should be taken to another thread as we need to respect the grieving family of the boy. However, keep in mind that if people DID materially change the design of their own balconies, they would likely invite the management to discipline them for violating the architectural consistency rules.

[iko]

Prayers for this poor kid? If you believe in god you should explain me why he died. Where was god when this littile and defenseless human being was falling from the balcony?

[Jingthing]

Prayers for this poor kid? If you believe in god you should explain me why he died. Where was god when this littile and defenseless human being was falling from the balcony?

Most religious people could answer that for you, but ultimately we have to answer that question for ourselves.

[onnut]

reading this made me feel very sad, I cant bring myself to look at the picture or the video. I dont even know what to write. its all very sad. I have a little boy and think if that happened to him I would throw myself off to be with him, I really dont think i could live after something like that hapening.

RIP little one.

[iko]

Prayers for this poor kid? If you believe in god you should explain me why he died. Where was god when this littile and defenseless human being was falling from the balcony?

Most religious people could answer that for you, but ultimately we have to answer that question for ourselves.

Answer is there's no god. If it were, an innocent kid wouldn't die like that. No meaning, no purpose, no nothing to explain it. Very sorry for his dad. It must be horrible right now.

[souvenirdeparis]

I was found quietly sitting by the window ledge at the 4th floor at about this age. as a father I found 3/4 is a very dangerous stage ( my son found it the hard way when we rushed him to hospital , he had fallen from a table's height while playing (withhis mother) and in the shower because his imbecile of a father turned on the water while he was standing and he slipped hard on the corner omg my shame)

on holiday it's even more dangerous because everything is different, bet this chair would never have been bythe balcony where they usually live ; and parents have jetlag or are busy organizing things.

Could the pic be removed now?

[Thai at Heart]

Tragedy. My heart goes out to this poor man.

Balconies and chairs. What a tragedy.

Please remove the picture. It is in extremely poor taste.

[buddy]

Prayers for this poor kid? If you believe in god you should explain me why he died. Where was god when this littile and defenseless human being was falling from the balcony?

They Religious havent got a credible answer....because tragic events like this expose thier beliefs to the fraud they prescribe to.

The usual answer that the religious trot out at times like this is " Its all in Gods plan " <deleted>....please explain Gods plan ????????

RIP liitle one.

[souvenirdeparis]

Englander

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Today, 14:24 Posted Today, 14:35

I met this guy on a visa run a few months back and we got on really well he seemed like a genuinely decent guy who happened to be raising his kid by himself.

//

I have been alone with my son for the past seven years on avery regular basis, whether I'm working or sick or blue or would like some privacy his mother doesn't mind (it's easier now he's older) , it is pretty demanding.No single parent has 4 hands or can keep his attention focused on the kid every minute of the day. The man did everything he could to make him happy ; I hope he gets some counseling to ease the guilt -the pain I think can't be eased.

a 4 y old boy , for those of you who haven't had one yet, istruly lovable and special; they start talking sense and ride and play ball and at the same time they have a cherub- like quality ( by seven they 're much more like adults than babies); they can move fast and can't understand lots of dangers even though you explain them .

Edited August 25, 2010 by souvenirdeparis

[TAWP]

Oh-<deleted>...reading the title made my heart sink...got a son in the same age and I don't know what I would do if this happened...

[Boater]

can we please keep religion out of this please,

[mizzi39]

We stay on the 21 floor of an executive apartment when in BKK. I won't even let my son on the balcony even with an adult present . This has to be a parents worst nightmare.What a heart wrenching story. RIP.

[smedly]

extremely sad, RIP

[Rimmer]

UPDATE

4 year old American boy falls 10 floors to his death at Jomtien Condominium

PATTAYA: -- A 4 year old American boy fell 10 floors to his death from the View Talay Condo 2 Building B in Jomtien on Tuesday Evening. Rescue Services rushed to the location and medical staff took over administering CPR from the boy’s distraught father but he was declared dead-at-the-scene. Master Michael Labadan Wolfe who was born in the Philippines was apparently playing on the balcony of his father’s apartment. Mr. Brett James Wolfe aged 40, a local Muay Thai Boxing Instructor, left his son on the balcony and it is thought he climbed on a chair and fell over the edge of the railings.

Full story HERE

-- Pattaya One 2010-08-25

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[Patsycat]

Terribly sad.

RIP little one.

[nikkoid66]

Horrible nightmare, I hope this man has friends and relatives to support him. I could not live without my son after such a tragedy.

This reminds that all the View Talay balconies must be secured, they are originally very weak and very dangerous by design.

Edited August 25, 2010 by nikkoid66

[ScubaBuddha]

Terrible to see these things happen.

Interesting religious tack this thread has taken. Seems some on this thread are truly grieving, so searching for answers is normal, and I hope mods realize that and allow some discussion, as long as it remains respectful.

Religion, IMO, was created largely to provide answers to the un-answerable. IE faith. but I am afraid none can be found here. Accidents happen and followers of God would say He doesn't interfere with free will. Hmmm...

I would also like to make this comment concerning the below link. It is a sad testament to the state of EMS in Thailand when responders put an adult cervical collar on a child. TIT, but I don't expect this to happen in a tourist center where EMS is usually more equipped and better trained. Pediatric collars should be standard kit.

http://www.patrolnews.net/?p=31241

Edited August 25, 2010 by ScubaBuddha

[Scott]

My very deepest sympathies to the family. My thoughts are with you during this time of extreme suffering for you.

[cardholder]

R.I.P. Michael

Anyone who has children can relate to this tragedy.

[Jingthing]

R.I.P. Michael

Anyone who has children can relate to this tragedy.

Correction. Any HUMAN BEING can relate to this tragedy.

[buddy]

can we please keep religion out of this please,

Please elaborate?

[likewise]

RIP little man, you'll be going to a better place now.

[yellow1red1]

My thoughts are of the mother. Is she alive? Does she live in the US or Philipines? If estranged from her son then this tragedy she will be the saddest.

[WarpSpeed]

I hadn't seen the link with the photos until now and I wish I hadn't. That boy is about the age of my youngest and my heart is in my stomach and choking back tears, now I'm going up stairs to hug them both in spite of the fact that they are both sleeping ..

On second thought happy in the fact that they are safely there sleeping ..

Edited August 25, 2010 by WarpSpeed

[Portlandstone]

R.I.P. Michael

Anyone who has children can relate to this tragedy.

Correction. Any HUMAN BEING can relate to this tragedy.

You really need to stop "correcting" people on every little thing they say.

As for the father or other family should they read this, hang in there, many peoples' hopes are with you.

[goldmonky]

A google search for the boys name came up with a news article from 2 years ago, his toddler was abducted by a nanny in the US

http://www.azcentral...229.html?

Here is another Thai article with another photo of the current event

http://www.patrolnews.net/?p=31241

It is heartbreaking.

coudn`t patrolnews use another word instead of BASTARD

[Jingthing]

R.I.P. Michael

Anyone who has children can relate to this tragedy.

Correction. Any HUMAN BEING can relate to this tragedy.

You really need to stop "correcting" people on every little thing they say.

As for the father or other family should they read this, hang in there, many peoples' hopes are with you.

No, I think I made a very valid, relevant point. It is not only parents who feel the pain from hearing about this story. It is anyone with a heart. All people are part of the human family. It is hard to imagine ANYONE who doesn't sympathize with the grief of the Daddy in this tragedy.

Edited August 25, 2010 by Jingthing

[Englander]

R.I.P. Michael

Anyone who has children can relate to this tragedy.

Correction. Any HUMAN BEING can relate to this tragedy.

You really need to stop "correcting" people on every little thing they say.

As for the father or other family should they read this, hang in there, many peoples' hopes are with you.

No, I think I made a very valid, relevant point. It is not only parents who feel the pain from hearing about this story. It is anyone with a heart. All people are part of the human family. It is hard to imagine ANYONE who doesn't sympathize with the grief of the Daddy in this tragedy.

Dont you think itd be slightly more respectful just to say nothing sometimes instead of turning what is harmlessly written by a poster into somekind of argument.

If whoever is in charge of this forum can please delete this post of mine and the ones quoted above from this poster, as itd make the thread just a fraction nicer reading for if the boys family ever do come across this forum.

[Jingthing]

I am sorry if I offended anyone by pointing out that there is no need to make exclusionary presumptions about who is and who isn't deeply saddened by this tragedy.

That said, while I agree respect and sympathy are important for the mourners, this is a discussion forum. That means we discuss things. I don't believe I disrespected the mourners by pointing out that most any human being hearing about this horrible accident would have sad feelings about it. On the contrary. There is indeed something so much more tragic when a child dies this way. When an adult dies, generally, the people that feel much about it are the people who knew the person. Not the same thing with a child I think.

Edited August 25, 2010 by Jingthing

[Portlandstone]

I am sorry if I offended anyone by pointing out that there is no need to make exclusionary presumptions about who is and who isn't deeply saddened by this tragedy.

That said, while I agree respect and sympathy are important for the mourners, this is a discussion forum. That means we discuss things. I don't believe I disrespected the mourners by pointing out that most any human being hearing about this horrible accident would have sad feelings about it. On the contrary. There is indeed something so much more tragic when a child dies this way. When an adult dies, generally, the people that feel much about it are the people who knew the person. Not the same thing with a child I think.

This seems to be quite contradictory to your earlier sermon to another poster in this thread who also made a point, of which you lectured him that now is not the time and place to do so. In addition, in making your over-the-top points, you are creating an argument within a thread that is meant to discuss the death of the boy and offer any thoughts or opinions. Apparently you seem to think your points are valid and others' aren't, a pattern which I've noticed by you on numerous threads. Don't you think that foreigners don't need other foreigners to "snap them into line"? And yes, you did indeed offend and disrespect the mourners.