The family of a 2-year-old boy who was killed by an alligator at Walt Disney World continue to honor his life 10 years later.
Lane Thomas Graves and The Lane Thomas Foundation

On Sunday, June 14, Matt and Melissa Graves will release a video on The Lane Thomas Foundation website honoring their late son, Lane Thomas Graves, and thanking everyone for their support.
The video will document Lane’s life as well as the impact of the foundation his parents and sister Ella established in his name. The Lane Thomas Foundation is “dedicated to supporting families of children needing life-saving transplants.”
“Lane had a special light about him and cared for his family deeply,” Matt and Melissa told NBC News correspondent Joe Fryer. “We simply want to shine a light on our beautiful, blue-eyed boy at this very difficult milestone.”
On June 14, 2016, Lane Thomas was with his parents and 4-year-old sister on the beach at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. An alligator grabbed Lane Thomas and dragged him into the water as his father tried to save him. His body was recovered the next day.
The incident had a lasting impact on Disney. Though the beaches at the resorts had “No Swimming” signs there were no fences or warnings about alligators. The beaches were fenced off soon after Lane Thomas’ death and signs were added throughout Walt Disney World warning of alligators and snakes at bodies of water.
In 2017, Disney added a lighthouse memorial to Lane Thomas at the Grand Floridian.
The lighthouse is the logo of The Lane Thomas Foundation, representing the enduring light of Lane Thomas and standing “as a beacon of hope and support for families in the depths of despair,” the Graves previously told TODAY.
Over 400 alligators have been removed from Walt Disney World waters since Lane Thomas’ death. In the eight years leading up to the 2016 incident, state-contracted trappers removed an average of 23 alligators a year from Disney property. In 2016, 83 gators were removed.
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