Airport sign collapse tragedy: Boy, 10, killed while mom who remained conscious through horrific ordeal remains in critical condition after 400lb sign fell on them



Heather Bresette and three of her children were standing near a flight status board when it fell on them without warning

Luke Bresette, 10, was pronounced dead at Children's of Alabama



His mother remains in a critical condition with two broken ankles and a fractured pelvis



His two younger brothers were also hospitalized, their condition is described as fair



A mom whose 10-year-old son was killed after a large airport sign collapsed on four members of a family remains in a critical condition, too weak for surgery on the injuries she has suffered.

Police in Alabama say Heather Bresette and her three sons, between 6 and 10-years-old, were standing beneath a flight information sign at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport when it fell without warning.

Luke Bresette, 10, was pronounced dead at Children's of Alabama, said Deputy Coroner Derrick Perryma. Heather Bresette, who remained conscious throughout the terrible ordeal, was taken to UAB Hospital with two broken ankles and a fractured pelvis.



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Heather Bresette remains in a critical condition after a flight information sign at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport feel on her family and killed her 10-year-old son Luke, right



Crushed: The giant flight status sign, estimated to weigh between 300-400 pounds, pictured resting on the ground of the brand new airport terminal that just opened last week

She underwent surgery last night, but surgeons decided her body wasn't strong enough for all the work they needed to be done and so she is due to have additional surgery on Sunday.



The two younger boys Sam, 8, and Tyler, 5, are being treated at Children's of Alabama where their condition is described as 'fair'. Sam has a broken leg and nose, while Tyler has a concussion.



The terrible incident occurred at about 1:30 p.m. on Friday as the family were returning to Overland Park, Kansas after spending a week in Destin for Spring Break.



A display sign weighing an estimated 300-400 pounds peeled away from the wall at the newly-renovated airport, falling on Luke, his mom and brothers.



Husband and father Ryan Bresette wasn't injured, nor was older sister Anna and another brother, Joe.

On his Facebook page Ryan Bresette posted a moving tribute to his son: ‘Words cannot describe the pain we feel. I miss and love Luke so very much.'



Family tragedy: Luke Bresette, 10, was killed after an airport sign collapsed on him, his mom and two younger brothers

Luke Bresette, 10, second from right was the third eldest of five children

Luke was the third of the five children and was in the fifth grade at St. Thomas More School, Kansas City.



His uncle Alex Bresette has described his nephew as some who was full of love and life.



‘He was a beautiful boy,' he told AL.com . ‘He was great in school. He was bright and inquisitive.’

Luke enjoyed playing baseball, football, basketball and sang in the choir. He was also an avid fan of Notre Dame football and the Kansas Jayhawks.

'You know how some kids get too old to hug you anymore?' Alex Bresette said. 'Not Luke, he always hugged.'



Witnesses said the family was walking by the giant sign when it came crashing down on top of them. It took six men to lift it off the family and later about a dozen men held it up while rescue workers worked on the family.



The sign weighing between 300 and 400 pounds took eight to 10 bystanders to lift it off the family said Birmingham Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Donald Jones.

First responders: The massive flight information board is seen propped up against the wall by rescue workers

Scene: Witnesses reported a loud crash with people screaming in the area before eight to 10 people hurried to lift the massive board off of the family

Rushed away: One of the injured is seen being taken away from the scene on a stretcher Immediate care: One of the young is taken away from the scene by emergency personnel

The children's father is said to have been checking them in at the nearby Southwest desk, according to a witness, when the horrific incident occurred around 1.30pm.

‘The 300-plus pound sign toppled and hit the family without warning,’ witness to the scene Albert Osorio told AL.com.



‘The whole thing flipped down on those kids. It took all of us here to stand it back up. Everybody started screaming.’



Mr Osorio said that from what he saw, the sign appeared to have been attached to the wall 'only with liquid nails,' a type of caulking adhesive, he told the website.



Airport spokesperson Toni Herrera-Bast told WBRC an investigation is underway into why the board fell with the cause not immediately known.

Herrera-Bast said she wasn't sure how the board was attached to the wall.

Closed off: Two workers are seen cleaning in a closed off section of the terminal where the large sign, said to be between 300-400 pounds, fell off the wall

Safety measures: As a precautionary measure barricades have been placed around the airport's other flight status boards, the fallen one is seen here

A witness Tweeting a photo near the scene described it as 'blood everywhere and a mom screaming.'



The terminal has since closed with no word yet on when it will reopen.

Barricades have since been positioned around the airport's other flight status boards as a precautionary measure.



Birmingham's mayor William Bell released a statement immediately after the incident promising his full support in the investigation.

Emergency rescue: Fire trucks rushed to the terminal at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport

Crews: Emergency crews rushed to the scene just after 1.30pm on Friday

'I have offered our full support to the Airport Authority as they investigate what has occurred this afternoon. I have asked our public safety staff to assist this family in their time of need in any way possible as they grapple with what has happened,' the statement read.



The board was in a new terminal of the airport which opened last week following a $201 million modernization effort.

Flights were said to have not been disrupted going into or out of the airport due to the incident on Friday.



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