Memories from Fantasy Island
Credit: WKBW Buffalo
Duration: 02:19s
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MEMORIES OVER THEYEARS.GILAT MELAMEDCONTINUES OURCOVERAGE -- LIVE ONGRAND ISLAND WITHWHAT THE PARK HASMEANT TO THECOMMUNITY.ASHLEY A TRIP HERETO FANTASY ISLANDWASN'T JUST ABOUTTHE RIDES.AD LIBMANY OF YOU ATHOME SHARED FONDMEMORIES OF THEWILD WESTSHOOTOUT SHOWS.AND IF YOU WENT TOONE IN THE 1970STHEN YOU MIGHTEVEN REMEMBER THISCOWBOY..."WHEN I FOUND OUTFANTASY ISLAND WASCLOSING, A PART OF MYHISTORY, THE DOORCLOSED ON IT."YOU MAY KNOW ROBLEDERMAN FROM 97ROCK..."THIS WAS ME."BUT BEFORE HE WAS ARADIO HOST ANDCOMEDIAN..."I WOULD GET SHOTAND FALL OFF THEROOF ALL THE TIME."LEDERMAN WASKNOWN AS MARSHALLROB.PERFORMING INFANTASY ISLAND'SSIGNATURE WILDWEST SHOOT OUTSFROM 1976 TO 1981."IT WAS THE GREATESTJOB THAT I HAVE EVERHAD."LIKE MANY WESTERNNEW YORKERS WHOWORKED AT THE PARKOVER THE YEARS ITWAS MUCH MORETHAN A JOB.LEDERMAN SAYSESPECIALLY IF YOUWERE A FANTASYISLAND COWBOY."WAS ALMOST LIKE YOUWERE A CELEBRITYYOU'D GETRECOGNIZED IF YOUWERE AT THE MALL, WEHAD A BASEBALL TEAMCALLED THE WESTERNTOWN TUMBLEDWEEDSAND WE WOULD PLAYBASEBALL AGAINSTHIGH SCHOOLS."NEARLY 4 DECADESLATER-- LEDERMANSTILL HOLDS ON TOTHE MEMORIES.THIS PICTURE OF HIMFROM THE SHOWSONLY TURNED UP AFEW YEARS AGO."I DEPUTIZED THISLITTLE KID WHO ENDEDUP BEING NOW ANADULT AND LISTENINGTO 97 ROCK AND GOINGI THINK YOU DEPUTIZEDME AND WE HAVEPICTURES OF YOUFROM THE SHOOTOUT."PHOTGRPAHICEVIDENCE OF WHATTHE PARK MEANT TOSO MANY FAMILIES."PARENTS COULD GOTO ONE PLACE ANDENJY THEMSELVES ANDNOT AHVE TO WORRYABOUT WHERE THEIRKIDS WERE, THEREWEREN'T FIGHTS,THERE WEREN'T LOUDCROWDS THERE WAS AREAL FAMILY FEEL TOIT."A SUMMER OF"FUN, WOW"THAT TODAYS YOUNGKIDS WON'T GET TOEXPERIENCE."I WAS ABSOLUTELYDEVESTATED."MANY OF YOU FEELTHE SAME-- SHARINGCOUNTLESSMEMORIES LIKE THISON SOCIAL MEDIA.IT WAS WHERE THISMORNING SHOW HOSTGOT HIS FIRST TASTEOF PERFORMING."THOSE YEARS ATFANTASY ISLAND MADEME WHO I AM NOW,"SO WHAT HAPPENS IFYOU ALREADYBOUGHT SEASONPASSES?THE ATTORNEYGENERAL SAIDPEOPLE SHOULD FILEA COMPLAINTTHROUGH THEIROFFICE, THE LINK TOTHAT IS UNDER THISSTORY ON WKBW.COM.SOME TICKETHOLDERS HAVE ALSOREACHED OUT TOTHEIR CREDIT CARDCOMPANIES FORREFUNDS.LIVE OUTSIDEFANTASY ISLAND,GILAT MELAMED, 7EYEWITNESS N