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Walt Disney World to remember Lane Graves with sculpture; boy was killed by an alligator

Posted at 9:34 AM, Jun 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-14 09:34:08-04

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) -- Walt Disney World plans to honor a Nebraska boy who was killed by an alligator at one of its resorts near Orlando with a sculpture of a lighthouse.

A year ago Wednesday, an alligator grabbed 2-year-old Lane Graves, who was playing along the Seven Seas Lagoon beach outside Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. The child's father, Matt Graves of Omaha, jumped into the water to try to free his son. The child's body was found 16 hours later and his death was ruled an accident.

Walt Disney World Resort President George A. Kalogridis said in a statement on Tuesday that the sculpture will be installed at an undisclosed location on the property this summer.

The child's death occurred two days after the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando.