A California family is grappling with the heart-wrenching loss of their young son, who passed away during what was meant to be a joyful outing. 

On Saturday evening, August 24, 2024, 11-year-old Richard Weinert-Soto collapsed while waiting in line for a water slide at Visalia’s Adventure Park in Visalia, in south-central California.

Maria Velasco, Richard’s mother, shared the horrifying moment when she was alerted to her son’s condition. “This little girl comes and she tells me, ‘I think your little boy is laying up there’… and so I ran up there and he was blue and purple,” Velasco recalled.

Despite the immediate efforts of CPR-trained park employees, Richard was unresponsive. He was rushed to Kaweah Health, where doctors worked tirelessly to save him, but he was pronounced dead at 9:26 p.m.

Richard’s life was defined by courage and resilience, qualities that stood out even more given the challenges he faced from birth. Born with a congenital heart condition and chronic lung failure, Richard had undergone multiple open-heart surgeries throughout his short life; his heart was on the wrong side of his body and flipped backwards. His parents, Maria Velasco and Christopher Weinert, reflected on his indomitable spirit and his deep love for those around him.

“He was amazing. He was special. Everyone who knew him knew that,” Christopher Weinert shared, his voice filled with both pride and sorrow. Richard’s generous nature was well-known; his family recounted stories of him using his own money to buy toys for other children and food for his siblings.

Maria Velasco also spoke about Richard’s passion for singing in church and spreading his love for God. Despite his ongoing medical struggles, Richard’s joy for life was infectious. He was known for bringing smiles to those around him and for his unwavering faith.

The suddenness of Richard’s passing has left the family devastated, but the outpouring of support from the community has provided some comfort. Within hours of the tragedy, social media was flooded with messages of prayer and solidarity, with many people expressing their grief and offering to help the family during this difficult time.

In response to the overwhelming support, Maria Velasco expressed her gratitude. However, the family is also facing financial challenges in covering the costs of Richard’s funeral. A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist with these expenses, and the family is asking for donations as well as continued prayers.

Visalia Adventure Park addressed the incident in a statement, emphasizing that their staff acted swiftly and professionally during the emergency. The park’s spokesperson noted that the child suffered from a cardiac emergency while waiting in line for the water slides. Their CPR-certified team acted swiftly and did everything possible until the medical experts arrived. 

The park also acknowledged the emotional toll the event has taken on everyone involved, including their employees, and expressed their ongoing prayers for the Weinert-Soto family.