Jaida Rivera’s 11-year-old son, Cayden, died last September after falling from a G train in Brooklyn. He was the youngest of six to die subway surfing in New York City last year. The practice involves balancing on top of moving trains and has been popularised by social media.
Police data shows arrests for subway surfing rose 70% from the previous year, with the average age of those apprehended being 14. So far this year, 164 children have been arrested, up from 112 in the same period last year. Two have died in 2025.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul launched a 'Ride Inside, Stay Alive' campaign this month, featuring pro BMX athlete Nigel Sylvester. The campaign includes subway announcements and drone surveillance. However, social media platforms continue to host videos that encourage the activity.
In 2023, after five deaths, Mayor Eric Adams held a social media summit and platforms removed about 3,000 subway surfing videos. Over 1,800 have been taken down so far this year. Despite this, Jaida Rivera said her son's TikTok feed was filled with surfing content.
Train surfing dates back to 1904, when the subway opened. A 1991 New York Times article noted 'the risk is the lure'. Committed surfers describe the thrill as feeling 'like you’re in a real-life movie'.
