Just weeks ago, 11-year-old Cayden DeLeon was killed in an accident while subway surfing in Brooklyn. Indeed, this heartbreaking incident underscores the very real dangers of this trend that keeps taking young lives in New York City. His mother, Jaida Rivera, is now demanding accountability from city officials as this dangerous practice is still widespread among young people.
Like the subway surfing death of Cayden, this is the 5th subway surfing death in 2023, continuing a nationwide, deadly trend particularly among young people (EXIT). This moronic stunt involves jumping on top of speeding subway train cars. As dangerous as it is, it nevertheless continues to attract daredevils seeking their next adrenaline fix. New York City’s 7 line express train from Manhattan to Queens. Due to its speed and accessibility, the wave has become a mecca for progressive surfers.
Even New York City Mayor Eric Adams has admitted that subway surfing has become a growing plague. To address this challenge, he convened a social media summit. He stated, “The allure of social media fame has lured too many young people on top of trains, and the consequences have been deadly.” Even with work to stop the growing trend, nearly 3,000 subway surfing clips deleted from social media platforms. More than 1,800 new rejections have cropped up so far this year.
Along with the social media enforcement, Governor Kathy Hochul has launched the “Ride Inside, Stay Alive” campaign. This new campaign includes pro BMX athlete Nigel Sylvester. It primarily aims at high school students to educate them on the risks associated with subway surfing. The campaign aims to deter young people from engaging in this risky behavior by emphasizing the severe consequences that can arise.
Advocate Jaida Rivera puts it well when she says that it’s “hard to understand why no one has made meaningful efforts to protect children from this threat.” “I don’t think they’re really done anything, to be honest,” she stated. Alongside her attorney, Rikki Davidoff, she plans to sue the city, the board of education, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for accountability regarding her son’s tragic death. Yet the legal landscape makes her pursuit of justice that much more complicated. An obscure 1847 law restricts damages in wrongful death lawsuits to strictly economic losses.
Proposed “grieving families” bill blocked three times by Governor Hochul. The decision makes Rivera’s fight for justice for her son even more difficult. “We’re looking for our state government to stand up for the rights of children,” said Sabrina Rezzy, a representative for Rivera’s legal team.
Reckless subway surfing has been an issue for decades. Historical documentation reveals that this deadly indoor sport has plagued New York City for more than 100 years. Local newspaper archives unearthed brutal stories of riders who were crippled or killed as they traveled on top of freight trains. These tragic incidents go back as far as 1904! Despite the long history and knowledge of these risks, youth persist in this dangerous behavior.
The upward trend is concerning because it begs the question of how our society is shaping youth behavior today. As noted by Eric Adams, “Unfettered access is hurting our children – encouraging them to steal cars, ride on top of subways.” This highlights the urgent and ongoing need for stronger interventions to safeguard at-risk communities from corrupting influences.
The human cost to families who’ve lost loved ones by subway surfing is immeasurable. Jaida Rivera described her own feelings of isolation following her son’s death, stating, “I don’t do much but sit in my room or in the bathtub. I find quiet there.” Her powerful reflection serves as a reminder of the tragic sorrow those who are left behind endure.