Child's death from falling statue at Biltmore

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving Wright’s work and educating the public about the architect’s contributions, expressed sadness over the death of a child at the Arizona Biltmore, which was influenced by Wright’s architectural style.

An 8-year-old boy was struck by a falling statue at the resort on Nov. 27. He later died of his injuries.

“The news about the passing of the child at the Biltmore is truly heartbreaking,” Henry Hendrix, chief marketing officer for the foundation, said in a statement. “We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident, and our heartfelt condolences are with the family during this unimaginably difficult time.”

Hendrix went on to say the foundation shared in the sorrow of the child’s passing.

“Please know that we share in the sorrow of this moment and hold everyone affected close in our hearts as they navigate this unimaginable loss,” Hendrix said in the statement.

The statue that struck the boy was a “sprite,” a depiction of a mythical being meant to serve as a guardian over the land. According to the Arizona Biltmore website, the property has 19 sprite statues.

In his statement, Hendrix said the sprites at the Biltmore are replicas of designs at Wright’s Midway Gardens project in Chicago, which was built in 1914 and demolished in 1929. The statues at the Biltmore were created in the mid-1980s and gifted to the Biltmore in 1988. They are not considered historic artifacts and are not subjects of historic preservation.

Reach the reporter at cvanek@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @CorinaVanek.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Wright Foundation says Biltmore sprite that struck child not historic

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