The parents of an eight-year-old boy who suffered a horrific fall after going up a popular rock climbing wall in Chicago’s Navy Pier are suing the operators of the rock climbing wall and other defendants.

Erin and Gideon Brewer were visiting Chicago's Navy Pier from Grand Rapids, Michigan, on July 27th. While at the Pier, the couple’s eight-year-old son, George Brewer, climbed a 24-foot rock climbing wall.

When the eight-year-old reached the top of the wall, he hit the top buzzer, and then let go of the wall to rappel down. However, the boy’s harness was not attached to a climbing rope, causing the boy to free fall backward down the 24 ft climbing wall and onto the concrete floor below. The gut-wrenching moment was caught on video as George’s parents and two siblings looked on.

As a result of the impact, George suffered “severe injuries” including a shattered femur, broken tibia, pelvis, and chin. George also suffered a concussion and injury to his growth plate, according to his parents.

Since the horrific fall, George has undergone four surgeries and will undergo another in January. His parents detail that there are likely to be more surgeries in his future.

According to the Brewer family, the impact was “100% preventable.” In an interview with reporters, the boy's father, Gideon Brewer, shared, "We thought he was dead when he fell. His little brothers saw him too, saw the whole thing, and were asking us, 'Is George dead? Is George dead?'"

The lawsuit was filed in Cook County Circuit Court and names Navy Pier, Spectrum Sports, and two employees who were working during the time of the incident.

During a press conference, the Brewer family lawyer, Steve Levin, explained that after their son fell, Pier officials did not call authorities or seek medical assistance. Instead, the family detailed that bystanders called 911.

According to the lawsuit, Navy Pier admitted to officers that they did not check to see if the boy was properly secured, adding that they were “distracted” and that they did not see the eight-year-old climb up or fall off of the wall.

“Child safety in this type of attraction is a zero-tolerance business,” Levin shared. “It is no excuse to say they were distracted. It was no excuse to say this was happening near closing time. It is no excuse to blame an eight-year-old child or the parents for something that is fundamental. They undertook the obligation to ensure George was safely attached to the wall, and they did not fulfill that obligation.”

George was constrained to a wheelchair for several months after his fall and has since transitioned to a walker as he continues extensive physical therapy.

“Whether it was carelessness, a lack of training, supervision, proper safety equipment or just not caring about the children climbing the wall, Navy Pier failed George and his family miserably every step of the way,” Levine shared.

His family is seeking compensation for medical costs incurred after the fall along with other damages.