As a parent, would you allow your child to participate in a dangerous and potentially life-threatening hobby just because they happen to enjoy it?
This news report from Inside Edition shares the tragic details of how a 14-year-old bull rider died at a North Carolina rodeo during his very first time participating.
Denim Bradshaw arrived at the Stokes County Rafter K Rodeo on a Saturday in late January 2023 with a smile on his face, as he could barely contain his excitement. The 14-year-old was going to be bull riding for the first time, but what came next, no one could have anticipated.
According to reports, during his ride, the young man was thrown off the bull, and the bull stomped on him and crushed his chest.
A mom named Amanda Paquette, who was there with her 7-year-old son, Preston, watched in horror as Denim found himself bucked off and then quickly underneath the feet of the powerful bull.
“He got up and took two steps and on his second step is when he just lifelessly fell,” Amanda explains to Inside Edition.
According to WFMY2 News, two EMTs who were on the scene started to administer “life-saving measures” until emergency services arrived. It’s reported that Denim went into cardiac arrest and died later at the hospital.
Inside Edition couldn’t help but ask the question that might be on a lot of parents' minds: Is bull riding worth putting your child’s life at risk?
Despite what they witnessed that day, Amanda notes that her son will continue to participate in rodeos as long as he’s enthusiastic about them, because that’s where his “heart is.”
To learn even more details about the tragic death of Denim Bradshaw, watch the full video posted by Inside Edition.
