Little girl, 9, who was 'light of our lives' dies after freak tragedy in Hersheypark wave pool
While her name has not been released publicly, 'out of respect for the family,' community leaders have confirmed she was a beloved member of the local Bhutanese population.
The young girl was 'in distress' in the wave pool before she died, authorities said.
'Our hearts break for this child and the child's family. We extend our deepest condolences for their loss. Out of respect for their privacy, we will not release any personal details at this time,' a statement from CEO of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company, John Lawn, said.
The iconic theme park released a statement of its own on Saturday, commending the lifesaving efforts of park staff and extending condolences to the grieving family.
'We can confirm that the incident occurred at the wave pool within The Boardwalk at Hersheypark. The wave pool will remain closed today out of respect for the family and deep appreciation of our team members who worked so valiantly in their efforts to save the life of the guest,' an updated statement from Hersheypark reads.
Hersheypark said there were over 100 trained lifeguards at the park at the time of the tragic incident, including '10 lifeguards specifically dedicated to the wave pool' attraction.
'There were over 100 E&A-trained lifeguards in the Boardwalk at the time of the incident. There were 10 lifeguards specifically dedicated to the wave pool at the time of the incident.
'The specific lifeguards stationed at the wave pool received the highest level of training and certification from E&A, known as Special Facility Training, which includes deep-water lifeguarding, Basic Life Support, AED use, supplemental oxygen support, CPR, and First Aid. Additionally, as part of Hersheypark's commitment to water safety, complimentary life vests are also available to all of our guests,' the park said.
Now, the young girl - described as 'full of promise, innocence, and joy' - is being remembered by members of her local community.
'At just nine years old, she was full of promise, innocence, and joy – a light in the lives of all who knew her,' Tilak Niroula, chairman of the Board for the Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg, announced on the group's Facebook page.
'Her sudden and tragic departure has left a deep void in our hearts and in the community she was so warmly a part of. Our entire community is grieving alongside the family during this unimaginably difficult time,' he continued.
The young girl - described as 'full of promise, innocence, and joy' - is being remembered by members of her local community
'Words cannot fully capture the depth of our pain, but we are united in our mourning and committed to standing with the family in love, prayer and support.'
The girl had been visiting The Boardwalk at Hersheypark on Thursday, July 24, when she became 'in distress' in the water, according to a statement from the park's parent company CEO.
'From the moment our lifeguard team recognized that a child was in distress, they performed an immediate rescue, followed by continuous, coordinated life-saving efforts by our lifeguards, on-site first responders and medical personnel,' Lawn said.
After park staff performed life-saving measures, the young girl was taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
However, it remains unclear at this time how the child died.
The Derry Township Police Department and the Dauphin County Coroner's Office said they are continuing their investigation into the incident, as park officials say they will 'fully cooperate' and even 'conduct an internal review' of their own.
'The Derry Township Police Department is assisting Hersheypark and the Dauphin County Coroner's Office with their review into the death of a 9-year-old child at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark on the evening of July 24, 2025.
'We are still on the early stages of this process, and we are working to gather all of the facts in the incident.
'Our thoughts and our hearts are with the family and friends of this young life, lost too soon,' the Derry Township Police Department said.
The 9-year-old girl's death marks the first fatality at the park since 1977.
The Boardwalk area of the park features 16 water attractions, including a 378,000-gallon wave pool called 'The Shore,' which reaches a depth of six feet.
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