In a legal decision that concluded a nerve-wracking ordeal, two teenagers from Oregon have been granted a total of $550,000. This substantial compensation follows a harrowing incident where they, along with 26 others, found themselves stuck upside down on a malfunctioning amusement park ride.

Xitlali Gomez-Salais and Evie Yannotta, then aged 13 and 14, were gripped by fear as they hung precariously on the AtmosFEAR, a pendulum swing ride at Oaks Amusement Park in Portland. The incident, which took place in June 2024, had the young girls terrified they might plunge 100 feet to the ground, as reported by the Oregonian.

In the aftermath, a total of nine individuals took legal action against the amusement park, though the details of the settlements varied, with seven plaintiffs reaching different agreements.

This past Wednesday, a jury concluded that Gomez-Salais and Yannotta, who have since turned 16, deserved $275,000 each. Their lawsuit, which sought $2 million, targeted both the park and Zamperla, the company responsible for manufacturing the ride.

Throughout the trial, Yannotta, recognized as a champion in Korean martial arts, conveyed her distress to the jury. She recounted the terror she felt, fearing that the ride’s harnesses could accidentally unbuckle, putting her life in jeopardy.

“Just the highest terror I ever felt,” she said. “There’s nothing like it ever in my life.”

She recounted how a teacher from another school tried to reassure the stranded riders by saying they would be returning home.

“But I knew she didn’t know that,” she said.

She said her pal had bloodshot eyes – seemingly because of the blood that had rushed to their head.

“So many people were throwing up at that point, and I thought I might throw up too,” she said.

Yannotta also claimed that park staffers on the ground were telling customers to leave while riders were stuck in the air.

“I remember thinking that they didn’t want people seeing something that was going to happen — like us falling or us passing out all limp in the harnesses,” she said.

During the civil trial, Gomez-Salais also provided vivid testimony.

“I didn’t want people to see me die,” she said. “It’s hard to be in a position like that, where your friends are underneath you.” 

Both girls have since suffered from post-traumatic stress and anxiety, according to the lawsuits seen by KATU. 

“I carry my anxiety with me every day,” Gomez-Salais said, while Yannotta said the injuries she sustained stopped her from competing in martial arts events.

“They had to seek counseling, treatment, and medication. Some of them are still afraid to fly on planes,” attorney Michael Fuller, who represented the two girls, said after the verdict.

It still remains unclear what caused the ride to malfunction during its 360-degree cycle.

“We are grateful that all of the riders are safe, and this incident is now resolved,” a park spokesperson told KATU.

“Safety is our top priority and we will continue to work with ride manufacturers and state inspectors to ensure rider safety.”

“We need real answers and not excuses and deflections,” Jaime Gomez, Gomez-Salais’ dad, said after the verdict.

Fuller claimed the theme park had admitted fault. 

More than 900,000 people visit Oaks Amusement Park every year — and it opened for its 121st season in March.

Drawing culinary inspiration from his family, Brooklyn Beckham whipped up a delightful dinner on Wednesday evening.

The son of David and Victoria Beckham, who maintains an independent lifestyle, shared one of his popular cooking videos with his impressive 19.3 million Instagram followers. In this particular clip, Brooklyn demonstrated his skills by crafting a protein-packed pizza, skillfully incorporating his signature Cloud 23 hot sauce.

Intriguingly, this culinary creation appeared on social media just a few hours after his younger brother, Romeo, had showcased his own pizza-making adventure.

Romeo’s culinary journey came to light through Instagram Stories shared by his girlfriend, Kim Turnbull. Her posts captured the middle Beckham sibling immersing himself in a delightful Italian cooking class.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Beckham family, minus Brooklyn, is savoring a lavish getaway along the breathtaking Amalfi coast, enjoying the luxury of their £16 million yacht.

Brooklyn’s Italian cooking lesson took place in the slightly less authentic setting of the Los Angeles mansion he shares with his wife Nicola Peltz. 

‘This is my protein pizza with Cloud 23, try it at home, promise you won’t regret it’ he begins the video, before plugging his own brand sauce, gushing: ‘I really highly recommend, obviously I am bias.’

Whilst some fans gushed over the aspiring chef’s skills and his hot sauce, others used the post to plead with Brooklyn to contact his family. 

‘Love the sweet jalapeño working through my second bottle- but call your parents’ commented one. 

Others commented on Brooklyn’s resemblance to his dad, pointing out he is ‘David’s young version!’ and is ‘definitely morphing into him as he gets older!’

Some followers poked fun at Brooklyn’s often ridiculed culinary skills, with one joking: ‘Look at the pizza on those basil leaves!’

Brooklyn has long been using his social media platforms to show off his cooking skills – however he faced backlash earlier this month after he horrified fans by cooking a pasta dish using seawater during his stay on a luxury yacht.

The clip, which was originally shared last year, was reposted to TikTok but the eldest Beckham son immediately caused controversy as he dipped his saucepan in the sea to collect salty water to boil the pasta.

It seems Brooklyn was trying to trump his estranged dad David who also has a passion for cooking and even completed a culinary course during his spell at AC Milan.

He told The Times back in 2013: ‘Funnily enough, when I lived in Italy, I took a six-month culinary course at a professional chef’s school and learnt to make real ragu and fresh pasta.

‘I used to go there three times a week… I was obsessed with perfecting the risotto because it is difficult.’

And the family are back in Italy as part of their summer holiday after cruising around various countries in Europe on their superyacht. 

Brooklyn has skipped the Beckhams’ annual summer getaway aboard the family’s £16million yacht for the second consecutive year after severing ties with his parents and siblings.

Instead earlier this month, he joined godfather Sir Elton, 79, aboard the singer’s yacht off the French coast, where on Saturday he and Nicola were seen chatting on deck with the star and Mr Furnish, 63.

The Beckhams and Sir Elton have been friends for more than 30 years, with David affectionately calling the musician ‘Uncle Elton’ after the pair became friends during his football career.

Yet Sir Elton appears to be pledging allegiance with Brooklyn and Nicola as they enjoyed lunch on his yacht.