The theme park industry attracts millions of guests each year. Parkgoers love the food, shows, rides, and thrills. Roller coasters are a top attraction at many parks, and thrill-seekers gladly wait in line to be twisted, turned, and even hung upside down. Unfortunately, every once in a while, roller coasters malfunction, leaving riders in a truly terrifying position. In May 2026, eight students were stuck on Pleasure Pier’s Iron Shark roller coaster in Galveston, Texas, for hours before fire crews successfully rescued them. Video from the Pleasure Pier Rescue Went Viral Frank Mendoza, an eighth-grader at Energized for STEM Academy, told ABC 13 that the incident left him shaken and in pain. “I got scared. I started feeling lightheaded for a few hours. My body started hurting, and it still hurts,” Frank recalled. The Iron Shark at Pleasure Pier remained stopped for hours while the Galveston Fire Department prepared and executed its rescue plan. Capt. John Fearrington of the Galveston Fire Department said his team helped ease the teen’s fears as they rescued them one by one. “They were pretty frightened, but they’re pretty brave,” he said. “You reassure them every step of the way and tell them what you’re going to do.” The video left viewers in both shock and awe. “These HEROES need the key to the city, they need to be honored for thier bravery, skill, and truly amazing job to get these kids down safe,” someone wrote. “EXTRAORDINARY WORK!!” This person agreed, writing, “True heroes!! I’ve ridden that roller coaster, and it’s so scary. This was an amazing rescue.” “Awesome job GFD. You guys are phenomenal God bless you all,” a follower wrote of the Iron Shark rescue at Pleasure Pier. This story’s featured image can be found here