NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Ryan Furtado, 32, was a University of Redlands graduate from New York who died in a freak accident involving his Peloton bike in January 2022. His mother, Johanna Furtado, is now suing Peloton for wrongful death.
Furtado worked with the software firm Demandbase. His mom has claimed that the bike was “defective and unreasonably dangerous” and that it caused his fatal injury by cutting his carotid artery.
How did Ryan Furtado die?
According to the lawsuit filed in Brooklyn Civil Supreme Court, which was first reported by the Daily Beast, Furtado, who grew up in Hawaii, was doing a “core” workout on the exercise bike on January 13, 2022, when he got off the bike to do some exercises on the floor.
He then tried to get up by grabbing onto the bike, but it “spun around” and hit his neck and face, killing him "instantly."
The police found the bike still on top of his neck and face when they arrived at his home. He had bought the bike six months earlier in July 2021.
Was Ryan Furtado's the first death reported due to the Peloton bike?
The lawsuit reveals the first known fatality linked to Peloton’s ultra-popular exercise bike, but Furtado's is not the first case involving the company's equipment.
In 2021, a 6-year-old child died after getting pulled into a Peloton treadmill.
Another similar incident involving the now-discontinued Peloton Tread+ left a 3-year-old with a “significant brain injury,”
Peloton’s treadmill, Tread+, was recalled in May after a child died and 90 injuries were reported.
Peloton also recalled its bike seat in May due to a faulty design that could break during use. The move followed 12 reported injuries, the report said.
Is Peloton owning responsibility?
Peloton spokesperson Ben Boyd said in a statement on Thursday, “We offer our deepest sympathy and condolences to the Furtado family for this unfortunate accident.
"As a Member-first company, the health and safety of our Member community is a top priority.”
However, Peloton also argued in its response to the lawsuit, filed on April 17, that it was not responsible for Furtado’s death.
“Upon information and belief, the incident giving rise to this action was caused by the negligence or other culpable conduct of one or more parties for which Peloton is not responsible, and, therefore, Peloton is not legally responsible,” the response stated.
“No action or inaction by Peloton was the proximate cause of plaintiff’s or plaintiff’s decedent’s alleged injuries or damages.”
What does the lawsuit seek?
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from Peloton for Furtado’s wrongful death.
It also claims that Peloton failed to provide adequate warnings, instructions, and safety features for its bike.
The case is pending in the Brooklyn Civil Supreme Court.
A GoFundMe and his obituary in a local Maui news outlet described him as "kind-hearted, with witty humoured and overall zest for life, will be forever cherished and missed.”
