The parents of Lane Graves, the 2-year-old boy who was killed by an alligator at the Walt Disney World Resort in 2016, recently announced that they've just had another baby boy. Of course, nothing can ever erase the heartbreaking tragedy of losing a child. However, maybe this bit of good news can bring the grieving parents some peace.
The Graves sent a statement with the news to People. The new baby has been named Christian Lane Graves to carry on the memory of the sweet little boy they lost.
"Although we know the pain of losing Lane will never go away, we feel God has blessed our family with this precious miracle of life," they wrote. "We know Ella and Christian have their brother, Lane, watching over them as their guardian angel."
Lane was attacked by an alligator while playing on the shoreline of the Disney Grand Floridian Resort. He was pulled into the nearby lagoon and found dead 16 hours later.
Lane's father Matt Graves wrestled with the alligator in an attempt to rescue him, but a second alligator attacked and bit Matt while the first slipped away. The frantic father wanted to help search for his son, and it took a lot of convincing to get him to the hospital for stitches and antibiotics.
The 16-hour search ended when Lane's body was found at the bottom of the lake. Search-and-rescue teams found him using sonar equipment and were able to return the intact body to his parents. In spite of the terrible tragedy, the parents were thankful they could return Lane home for a proper burial.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sent out trappers who captured and killed five alligators in the area. The commission was unable to identify the alligator that initially dragged Lane away for sure but said it was "confident" that one of the animals caught and put down was the culprit.
Fatal alligator attacks in the US are rare, with only eight confirmed cases in the country from 2010 to 2018. However, scientists recently warned that these attacks are on the rise. This is likely due to an increase in the human population and development in the Southeast states, which have ideal alligator habitats.
The Graves did not appear to at any point blame the Disney resort for Lane's death. The beach that the toddler had been playing on had "no swimming" signs posted, but there was nothing to warn of nearby alligators. Disney had been routinely removing alligators from the area, according to Florida officials, but the huge reptiles are highly mobile animals.
The tragic incident was the first of its kind at the Florida resort. An anonymous employee told People that guests were not allowed on the sandy area where Lane had been playing, and that his death had left everyone shaken.
"This is a big deal," the source said. "This isn’t like a ride malfunction and someone got hurt. This is tragic. Everyone’s freaked out about it."
Disney completely closed the beaches around the neighboring lakes and put up tape to keep people away from the area following the attack.
The Graves' story caught national attention. Parents across the country watched for updates about Lane and sent their deepest sympathies when the worst news came. The Graves asked for privacy to grieve, but were thankful for the outpouring of support.
Since then, Lane's family, Disney, and the rest of the nation have kept Lane in their hearts. In 2017, Disney unveiled a statue of a lighthouse in honor of Lane Graves, meant to act "as a beacon of hope in the depths of despair, to create a strong base of support for families in crisis."
Melissa and Matt Graves, meanwhile, eased their grief by launching the Lane Thomas Foundation. This nonprofit raises money to cover travel and other related expenses for parents of children who need lifesaving organ transplants.
"Together with their daughter, Ella, Matt and Melissa have created The Lane Thomas Foundation to serve as a beacon of hope and to create a strong base of support for families in crisis," the foundation website reads. "The Graves family understands the importance of community support and the kindness of strangers when it is critical. The Lane Thomas Foundation is committed to standing behind those who most need support."
The statue that now stands at the Disney resort in Florida is modeled after the lighthouse logo of the Lane Thomas Foundation. George A. Kalogridis, president of Walt Disney World Resort, said that the purpose of the monument is to "provide continued awareness of the foundation and its mission."
The Graves family also remembered Lane in a Facebook post on the 2017 anniversary of his death with a touching message:
“LT, we love you up to heaven and down to the grass. Hug, kiss, ugga mugga. We will fight every day to keep your memory alive and make a positive difference in your name.”
Hopefully, the birth of Christian Lane Graves will be a light at the end of the tunnel for the family after such a difficult time. In their statement, the Graves thanked the public for continued support, but also asked again for privacy:
“The love and support we continue to receive from so many is greatly appreciated, but we ask that our desire for privacy continue to be honored.”
