Tragic Death of 13-Year-Old During TikTok Subway Surfing Challenge

A tragic incident occurred when a teenager lost his life after falling from a moving train while participating in a TikTok challenge. His mother has shared her thoughts, labeling the trend as “horrifying.”

Thirteen-year-old Adolfo Sanabria Sorzano tragically passed away on October 23, after engaging in TikTok’s subway surfing challenge.

This challenge involves participants riding on the tops of moving subway trains instead of remaining inside. To access the top, challengers leave the carriage at the junction where it connects with another train.

At the time of Sorzano’s accident, he was aboard the M train in Queens, New York. Reports from the NYPD indicate that he was discovered unconscious at the Forest Avenue subway station in Ridgewood around 10 PM.

Sorzano’s mother, Milene Sorzano, expressed her outrage against the subway surfing trend in a statement posted on a GoFundMe page created for her son’s burial expenses, describing it as “horrifying.”

“With a shattered heart, I reach out for your help during this excruciating time,” wrote Milene. “My son, Adolfo Sanabria Sorzano, only 13, tragically lost his life while participating in this dreadful subway surfing TikTok challenge in New York City.”

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“Adolfo was a vibrant child full of aspirations, and his untimely passing has created an irreplaceable void in our lives,” added his mother.

In response to the teenager’s death, Demetrius Crichlow, the president of NYC Transit, released a statement urging the public to refrain from participating in the subway surfing challenge promoted on TikTok.

“I urge anyone who views train surfing as a game, along with their families and educators, to recognize the lethal danger and remain inside the train,” Crichlow emphasized.

This tragic event is not isolated; it follows another incident where 15-year-old Zackery Nazario died in February 2023 after striking his head on a low beam while trying to surf between trains.

Following this event, Nazario’s mother, Norma Nazario, has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, Instagram, and the MTA. Alongside seeking compensation for unspecified damages, she pushed for these social media platforms to amend their algorithms which she claims led to her son’s decision to engage in the dangerous subway surfing challenge.

“I won’t rest until the MTA and social media companies start taking accountability for their actions and stop endangering our children,” she asserted.

As of now, TikTok has not taken steps to remove videos related to the subway surfing trend from its platform.

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