Who Is Sgt. Stephen Jackel? Six Flags Blocks Wounded Veteran From Riding Coaster, Denies Him Refund

RTX11WN3 — Sgt. Stephen Jackel said that when he purchased his tickets at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, he was never informed of the amusement park's safety policy that requires riders to have one functional leg and one functional arm Reuters

United States Army Sgt. Stephen Jackel says he was humiliated by employees of Six Flags Fiesta Texas (NYSE:SIX) at the San Antonio amusement park on Wednesday.

The veteran, who was awarded Purple Heart after losing both of his legs while serving in Afghanistan in 2011, said he was attempting to ride a roller-coaster called “Boomerang” when park employees stopped him, Fox News reported. Ride attendants told Jackel that he was not permitted to go on the ride without “one fully functioning leg.”

...Sgt Stephen Jackel. In an IED attack, used his damaged leg to beat out a fire, saving 4 others. #HardcoreUSAHero pic.twitter.com/rxxA9LJPTo
— Darrin Dickerson (@DarrinDickerson) February 5, 2014

According to Jackel, he was never informed of the amusement park's safety policy that requires riders to have one fully functional leg and one functional arm when he purchased his tickets. When he later requested a refund for his tickets, park management initially refused to give him his money back.

"My daughter was there throughout the whole time, and it got so frustrating that I broke down in front of my daughter and cried," Jackel told KMOV News.

Six Flags later issued a statement of apology to Jackel and offered him a refund. The veteran said he has no plans to return to the park. “I [and] my family will never go to Six Flags again,” he told Fox and Friends.

Afghanistan