Teen dies while subway surfing in Queens days after his 13th birthday
NEW YORK — A 13-year-old boy died while subway surfing in Queens on Wednesday.
Police say Adolfo Samabria's body was found at the Forest Avenue station around 10 p.m.
According to the NYPD, it's the fifth subway surfing death in New York City so far this year. The MTA has made an assertive push to run public service announcements online and in subway stations in an effort to stop the deadly trend.
The New York City Transit president released a statement saying, "This is another heartbreaking situation where a child tragically mistook riding outside subway cars for some kind of joyride. I implore anyone who thinks surfing trains is a game—and parents, friends and teachers who can persuade them otherwise—to understand the deadly risk and ride inside."
A grief counselor will be provided at Adolfo's school, and a Safe Streets and Safe Schools forum is being held on Saturday to share safety resources.
In a statement, Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said in part, "We often say we want the community to wrap its arms around our schools, and that is most important in moments like these. When one school loses a student, it impacts the entire city."
Adolfo Samabria remembered as "a ray of sunshine"
Friends gathered under the subway tracks where Adolfo died to remember him Thursday.
"I last spoke to him the day before he passed. We were literally with him. We were all hanging out with him," friend Ashley Rivera said.
His friends say Adolfo had moved to the United States from Colombia just last year. His nickname was "Colombia," and he had just celebrated his 13th birthday on Sunday.
"Wherever this kid went, he was, he was a ray of sunshine. He was a joy," Rivera said.
Those who knew him were shocked he was subway surfing.
"I never knew him to do this. This must be his first, and sadly his last, time," friend Johnthan Torres said.
He added, "One thing we got to stop for all of us is, like, one thing with the kids, it's never OK to be doing the subway surfing. I don't know what possesses children to be doing this, but it's not safe."
One decision that has led to a life cut short and left so many behind grieving.
"He had a long life to live. He had so much youth," Rivera said. "It's going be different. It's gonna feel like, you know, there's no Colombia, no Adolfo. It sucks."
