A 13-year-old boy died after falling from a five-story parking garage on Sunday, June 9, 2024. Mark Anthony Giordano, an eighth grader at Lewis M. Klein Middle School in Harrison, New York, was riding an electric-powered bike with four friends on the top floor of the Metro-North Harrison train station parking structure around 5:45 p.m. when he lost control, catapulted over the edge, and fell to the ground.
Emergency responders arrived quickly and found Giordano at ground level adjacent to the garage. He was transported to White Plains Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The other children were not injured, and the local police have stated that no criminality is suspected.
Louis N. Wool, the superintendent of Harrison Central School District, released a statement on June 10 expressing deep sorrow: “There is nothing harder to comprehend or more sorrowful to endure than the death of a child. Mark was cherished by his educators, coaches, and peers. Our dedicated faculty, coaches, and school resource officers promptly supported his family and our students.”
Giordano was known for his athletic prowess, excelling in football and wrestling. He wrestled varsity at 220 lbs. and was an All-League wrestler and a Sectional Championship qualifier. The Harrison Wrestling Facebook page honored him as “a remarkable young individual who achieved a great deal in a short time” and “consistently respectful, courteous, and a wonderfully caring teammate, brother, and son.”
Frank Barchella created a GoFundMe page to assist Giordano’s family with funeral expenses. The page describes him as a student-athlete with limitless potential in football and wrestling. “He will be missed for the gentle soul and dedicated friend he was to all he came in contact with,” the description reads. The fundraising effort has generated over $141,000.
The incident has shaken the local community, and support systems have been mobilized to help students and staff cope with the loss. Wool encouraged those impacted by the tragedy to reach out to their principal for support: “During moments of immense tragedy, I find solace in the kindness and support our community extends to those in greatest need and to each other.”
The parking garage where the accident occurred has safety netting on some levels, but not everywhere. Signs throughout the garage warn against bicycle riding, yet it remains a popular spot for youngsters. Neighbor Gary Garofalo noted, “It’s terrible what happened … They all go into the garage, they ride around a little bit, and then they jump in the elevator with their bikes.”
The MTA has retrieved surveillance video of the incident and continues to investigate. However, they have confirmed that no criminality is suspected. The community and Giordano’s family are left grappling with the sudden loss of a young life full of promise.