12-year-old boy dies on Disney's Rock'n'Roller coaster at Disney-MGM studios!!!

[Biscuitsmom31]

So very, very sad.

 

[Mom2Casey]

I think we can all sit and say it's the riders fault and others say Disney however what the real problem is tragedies happen everywhere everyday. Some people see coming, some people don't. I don't think anyone knew this would happen. Theme parks all over the place have more intense rides but I don't think it revenues nearly the same amount of people in one day as Disney. We have only really heard about it really in like the past year maybe? Of course being Disney, it's going to be played nationwide on news reports. I don't think anyone is to blame in this case. I do believe Disney does routine checks on their rides DAILY and perhaps maybe he did have a condition that was undetected however it is a tragedy to all involved. For people to comment on why people still ride with a condition is really not fair, alot of kids/teens/adults discover a rare condition that went undetected until something actually happens. Sometimes we can't see it happening until it is too late!! Sad but very true!!

I think instead of writing this and that about should have, could have but didn't posts.... I think we should just send our sincere condolences to the mother/father who lost a son, a boy who lost his brother, a grandparent who lost their grandchild, and a school mate who lost a friend.

May peace be with him and his family!!!

 

[tinkerbellcruiser]

happyonhorseback, you have to have a echo and an ekg. Their was a Dr. at our hospital who was so concerned about this condition that he echoed all the athletes in their high school for free. Not one of them had the condition. Then a couple of months later in walks my two with two full blown cases. The point I'm trying to make is this condition is pretty rare but the only way to find out is to have an echo. No one want's to pay for them especially insurance companies. Our bill last month was over three thousand dollars. I think it should be done on all kids. If they find the condition then at least they can change their lives and be pro active. I am not trying to scare anyone like I said the condition is very rare.

 

[wolfxofxnovember]

With children, the first time most of these 'pre-existing' conditions become known is AFTER some life threatening 'reaction'. Most kids make it through years of activities without a diagnosis of a hole in their hearts...sometimes it is caught in a pretty rigorous physical exam required by professional level (college) sports...and then there is a panic and a hastily scheduled operation.

My point is that pre-existing is not the same as foreknowledge about the condition. We are all walking timebombs for things like aneurisms...things that are 'waiting to happen' but can't be pre diagnosed.
It's possible that the G forces that rides like MS and RnR create could 'trip' one of these pre-existing but as yet undiagnosed conditions.

I doubt that any of the deaths of the last few years were because of a pre-existing condition that the people KNEW ABOUT. You just don't get a letter informing you that you have a aneurism lodged in your neck and it is about to explode!!!!!!

There are some deaths that were bc of pre-existing conditons that people did not know about this is very sad bc it never give the rider a fighting chance. However there are some deaths over the years on attractions that were caused by out and out STUPIDITY. A grad at The HM got out of his Doombuggy and fell down 15 feet snapping his neck. Because they have paths that the CMs use down there but they are not visible during ride hours.

A full grown adult got out of his log at Splash Mountain and was crushed during the ride. I am not absolutely sure but it might have been during the BIG drop. Have you noticed that none of the deaths caused by stupidity have been by women?

I am a dude and would like to think that I would have enough common sense to listen to the safety announcements and stick to my vehicle or in my case DoomBuggy.

My heart really goes out to the boys family I have a 13 yo brother who I would be heartbroken to lose.

 

[Teacher03]

aaand i bet he had some sort of pre-existing condition. don't you just love how guests don't pay attention to the warnings?

and by they way, there are rides in other parks that are A LOT more intense than the ones at disney world. say for instance, this nice little roller coaster in new jersey called kingda ka that basically shoots people at about, oh 120mph+ and straight up 400ft+ in the air? makes rock n' roller coaster look like a kiddie ride.

it's not the rides, it's the pre-existing conditions that sadly some people either know about and don't take seriously or never got checked out during a physical.

i do feel bad for the cm's at rnrc. while i was doing my college program at splash mountain there were 2 deaths at mission: space. and the reason? pre-existing conditions that no one took seriously and/or didn't even look to read the signs like most guests do.

This is a harsh statement! I have 3 kids and if I knew any of them had a condition that should prevent them from riding any ride, disney or not, I wouldn't allow them to ride. I am sure this is true of the majority of the parents out there.

 

[SarahKate]

I totally agree about the need for CPR!!! EVERYONE out there - take a CPR class....you just never know when you might need to use it. And chances are, you will be called upon to do it on someone you KNOW. If you don't want to take a regular class, you can actually buy a KIT online called CPR Anywhere, for 30 bucks that has a manikin and DVD and you can actually learn the skills of CPR in about 30 minutes!!!

I am a CPR Instructor and I can't stress enough how important this skill is. Besides learning CPR, you learn how to help a person who is choking and also use an AED. AEDs are EVERYWHERE now. Here in IL, EVERY school is required to have them onsite. They're at the mall, golf courses, you name it.

I do agree that they need better placement of AEDs at WDW. The response time was 5 minutes....for optimum results, the AED should get there within 3-4 minutes. If there were AEDs on all the rides (or at least the more intense rides), one would always be readily available. And liaility should be of no concern. An AED will ONLY shock certain rhythms - it will NOT shock a person who has a normal rhythm. Plus, there are Good Sam laws in place in all states that protect rescuers from being sued as long as they act in good faith. Think of it this way - if you have to resort to using an AED, the person is really DEAD already! You are not going to cause the person's demise by using an AED.

There are AEDs placed every 1 minute walking distance at O'Hare Airport in Chicago - currently their survival rates are close to 80%!! That is astounding, because the national average is extremely low, around 5%. AEDs are VERY easy to learn how to use, even kids can be taught!

And Valandemmy is right - AHA has changed the way we do CPR. It is MUCH easier for people to learn and remember, especially for the everyday lay responder. They are getting back to basics and are hoping that people are less hesitant to jump in and help save a life.

I know this thread is not REALLY about CPR.....but it truly is a lifesaving skill that everyone should know. You hope you never have to use it. If anyone out there is interested in finding a class in your area, you can go to AHA's website at www.americanheart.org and click on CPR/ECC and find a class near you. And if you have any questions at all, please post here or PM me! If you haven't already figured out, this is something I am VERY passionate about!

 

[brutus]

I just read an article from the Orlando paper and the parents said he was in good health and had no pre-existing conditions that they knew of.


From 2 hours ago:
Orlando Sentinel, The (FL) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) ORLANDO, Fla. _ A boy from Kentucky riding Walt Disney World's Rock `n' Roller Coaster slumped over during the ride and later died though his Army Green Beret father attempted to resuscitate him.

There was no indication Thursday why Michael Russell, 12, of Fort Campbell, Ky., lost consciousness on the popular indoor roller coaster at Disney-MGM Studios, or why he died. The Orange County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death, and the medical examiner's office will conduct an autopsy Friday.

Michael's parents, Byron and Charlotte Russell, and brother Houston, 7, were being assisted Thursday by a Disney official.

"Right now our deepest sympathies are with the family, and we are doing everything we can to assist them," said Disney spokesman Jacob DiPietri.

Byron Russell is a member of the Army's 5th Special Forces Group, stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky.

"The family is in mourning," said Maj. Jim Gregory, a public affairs officer for the special force's command.

Disney closed the ride and asked the Florida Bureau of Fair Rides Inspection to assist in an inquiry. There was no indication Thursday that any equipment on the ride malfunctioned.

The death is the seventh in 18 months involving people stricken at Walt Disney World attractions, compared with two such deaths in the previous 18 months, according to state records.

None of the other six deaths, dating to Christmas Eve 2004, involved accidents. In some of those cases, the autopsy found that person had pre-existing, dangerous medical conditions.

Disney's high-speed rides, including Rock `n' Roller Coaster, display signs warning away people with critical medical conditions.

The Russell family told Orange County sheriff's deputies that Michael was in good health.

"There are no previous medical problems they know of," said Orange County sheriff's Detective Mark Hussey, who was assigned to investigate the death. "He said his son had a yearly physical, the most recent just a few months ago."

The Russells boarded Rock `n' Roller Coaster after 11 a.m., with Michael sitting next to his mother and brother and his father behind them, said Deputy Barbara Miller, a sheriff's spokeswoman.

"The dad noticed the little boy went limp as the ride finished," Miller said.

Deputies say Byron Russell immediately began CPR on his son, and a ride employee called 911 at 11:20 a.m., summoning paramedics from the Reedy Creek Fire Rescue.

Paramedics stationed at the park arrived about six minutes after the 911 call first came in and took over. Though Disney has portable heart defibrillator units stationed throughout its parks, there was not one available to use on Michael until the paramedics arrived, according to an audiotape of the 911 call.

The child's heart was first shocked 7 minutes and 3 seconds after the 911 call.

He was transported to Celebration Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

 

[BlindTyldak]

Two M:S, the RNRC, what were the other four?

 

[jdmccol]

<aaand i bet he had some sort of pre-existing condition. don't you just love how guests don't pay attention to the warnings?>


I wondered how long it would take for the first person to make a moric statement like that...Not long at all.It's never Disney. Thats why Disney is making tamer versions of these rides.....because they do nothing wrong.

**Epcot now offers a tamer version of the ride that does not include centrifugal force**

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13618240/

Maybe a non-moving version of RNR for those who may have pre-existing conditions. This way there is no chance of anyone getting hurt.

Wasn't there someone a while back who died on the PotC? You can't make a thrill ride for millions of visitors and not have a bad reaction from someone. Of course, better placement of the AEDs should occur - like at each ride exit. Whatever the cause, it is a sad situation for the family.

It does make you think twice about whether to let your kids ride or not. I will be there in a few days with my kids, and if the ride is open, they will probably be allowed to ride. They have been on it during our previous three trips. I do think that they are probably in more danger in the car ride to WDW than in the park.

 

[Mom2Casey]

I totally agree about the need for CPR!!! EVERYONE out there - take a CPR class....you just never know when you might need to use it. And chances are, you will be called upon to do it on someone you KNOW.

I know this thread is not REALLY about CPR.....but it truly is a lifesaving skill that everyone should know. You hope you never have to use it. If anyone out there is interested in finding a class in your area, you can go to AHA's website at www.americanheart.org and click on CPR/ECC and find a class near you. And if you have any questions at all, please post here or PM me! If you haven't already figured out, this is something I am VERY passionate about!

Thank you for the link... I am a mother of a DD6 and you are right!! Things are just happening more and more and without warning. I want to be able to help her or others if God forbid something did happen. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself knowing I could have help with a simple class!! THANK YOU for my wake up call!!

 

[vhoffman]

Oh, how terrible!

A family went to a park for fun and walked away minus their child! Don't look for blame, not the family, doctors, anyone. Makes you realize just how lucky you are!

 

[fanofdisney]

oops- I meant defribillator

Try defibrillator, it's called an "automated external defibrillator". Just say AED. LOL

Disney should have AEDs at each of the rides. The article stated they didn't have one until the medics arrived? Is that right? Heart conditions scare me. We just need to remember to live each day one at a time. Any of us could have something wrong, weather it's a heart condition, cancer, anything. Remember what happened to John Ritter? He was 54. http://medrants.com/index.php/archives/1454 Be thankful every day you wake up. I hope one day technology (and HMOs!) will allow us to be diagnosed at a simple physical appointment.

My heart goes out to the family.

 

[Bay in TN]

What is going on with people? There are so many warnings that specify if you have any type of condition to take careful warning. This is truly sad. Like the OP stated. There are many rides that are worse (still fun) then RNR and TOT. If you have never been to US or UIOA, you have the Hulk, which just like RNR, the inital take off is the amount of speed that is required to run the full length of the ride. Also, look at Dr. Doom, start from the bottom and shoot yourself all the way to the top.

Our prayers are out to the boy's family.

OK... I feel a little guilty.

I have a pre-existing heart defect. It's a murmur; no big deal; I'm just supposed to take antibiotics before dental work. I hardly ever even do *that*.

My daughter, however, has a much more severe heart defect, and I guess it actually *is* possible that she could suffer a problem if she were to ride the RNRC or Mission: SPACE. All this time I've thought she was a weenie because she wouldn't ride those with me.

That said, I used this situation -- tragic death of an unsuspecting child -- as a springboard for a discussion with my children (ages 13 and 17) about how a person can die at any time, even when he/she's on vacation. And that death in WDW is hardly EVER the fault of the park. It's usual a situation like an unknown pre-existing health condition, or the guest acted in a foolish manner and caused his/her own death.

By the end of that conversation, I was exhorting my own happiness if I should lucky enough to die in WDW. They now know that if I die on my fourth ride on Mission: SPACE, they are to find the nearest CNN crew, and give an interview that runs roughly thusly, "Disney World was Mama's favorite place on earth, and she loved the [insert whichever ride here]. We are confident that she died happy -- not just happy, but darned close to ecstatic. We also know that Disney is in no way responsible for her death; it just happened. Our sincerest gratitude goes out to all the cast members who helped her, and we hope they're not too traumatized because Mama kicked the bucket. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have to get ready for tonight's fireworks, because that's what Mama would have wanted us to do."

I admit, I keep trying to imagine what it would be like to lose a family member during a vacation. I feel so much for that boy's family. But at the end, it's another valuable lesson in how to lead one's life in general. Live for today. Tomorrow is uncertain -- at best.

--Bay

 

[lorrainesy]

This is so sad :-( To lose a child without any notice and to be so far from home in a strange city.

 

[wolfxofxnovember]

OK... I feel a little guilty.

I have a pre-existing heart defect. It's a murmur; no big deal; I'm just supposed to take antibiotics before dental work. I hardly ever even do *that*.

My daughter, however, has a much more severe heart defect, and I guess it actually *is* possible that she could suffer a problem if she were to ride the RNRC or Mission: SPACE. All this time I've thought she was a weenie because she wouldn't ride those with me.

That said, I used this situation -- tragic death of an unsuspecting child -- as a springboard for a discussion with my children (ages 13 and 17) about how a person can die at any time, even when he/she's on vacation. And that death in WDW is hardly EVER the fault of the park. It's usual a situation like an unknown pre-existing health condition, or the guest acted in a foolish manner and caused his/her own death.

By the end of that conversation, I was exhorting my own happiness if I should lucky enough to die in WDW. They now know that if I die on my fourth ride on Mission: SPACE, they are to find the nearest CNN crew, and give an interview that runs roughly thusly, "Disney World was Mama's favorite place on earth, and she loved the [insert whichever ride here]. We are confident that she died happy -- not just happy, but darned close to ecstatic. We also know that Disney is in no way responsible for her death; it just happened. Our sincerest gratitude goes out to all the cast members who helped her, and we hope they're not too traumatized because Mama kicked the bucket. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have to get ready for tonight's fireworks, because that's what Mama would have wanted us to do."

I admit, I keep trying to imagine what it would be like to lose a family member during a vacation. I feel so much for that boy's family. But at the end, it's another valuable lesson in how to lead one's life in general. Live for today. Tomorrow is uncertain -- at best.

--Bay

I dont agree with using this situation as a keystone for your conversation. I understand that it is important to educate people about this kind of stuff. But you should not be paranoid about death especially while on vacation you have to loosen up a little bit.

 

[jonestavern]

I totally agree about the need for CPR!!! EVERYONE out there - take a CPR class....you just never know when you might need to use it. And chances are, you will be called upon to do it on someone you KNOW. !!
I am a CPR Instructor and I can't stress enough how important this skill is. Besides learning CPR, you learn how to help a person who is choking and also use an AED. AEDs are EVERYWHERE now.
I do agree that they need better placement of AEDs at WDW. The response time was 5 minutes....for optimum results, the AED should get there within 3-4 minutes. If there were AEDs on all the rides (or at least the more intense rides), one would always be readily available. And liability should be of no concern. An AED will ONLY shock certain rhythms - it will NOT shock a person who has a normal rhythm. Plus, there are Good Sam laws in place in all states that protect rescuers from being sued as long as they act in good faith. Think of it this way - if you have to resort to using an AED, the person is really DEAD already! You are not going to cause the person's demise by using an AED.
There are AEDs placed every 1 minute walking distance at O'Hare Airport in Chicago - currently their survival rates are close to 80%!! That is astounding, because the national average is extremely low, around 5%. AEDs are VERY easy to learn how to use, even kids can be taught!
And Valandemmy is right - AHA has changed the way we do CPR. It is MUCH easier for people to learn and remember, especially for the everyday lay responder....
I know this thread is not REALLY about CPR.....but it truly is a lifesaving skill that everyone should know... If anyone out there is interested in finding a class in your area, you can go to AHA's website at www.americanheart.org and click on CPR/ECC and find a class near you. And if you have any questions at all, please post here or PM me! If you haven't already figured out, this is something I am VERY passionate about!

WOW! Great info, great insights!

Thanks for the link! DH needs a refresher course & you can bet DS17 & I will be signing up!

Jean,Christopher & Patrick

 

[weeyore33]

I am so sad. May his family find the strength to be free from guilt and may peace eventually find them. I feel horrible, tragic, so young, so sad

 

[Disneyland_emily]

My heart breaks for this family and I wish them the best at this time.

>>I'm a little shocked how cold you are about this situation- you feel bad for the CM's?!?!?!?! <<

I feel horrible for the CMs. I used to work RnR Coaster and its affected me. I cant hardly imagine how all the current cast must feel and how hard this is for them. I dont know any of the current cast but I do know several of the MSpace CMs that were on duty when those deaths occured and even now its very hard for them to talk about it.

CMs are people to.

-em

 

[KimberlyC]

I must say that I'm disturbed by comments like "don't ya just love how people pay attention to the warnings". While that may be true for some, how likely is it that the family of this 12 year old child knew about a pre-exiting condition and let him ride? Many people don't know that they have problems until its too late. That doesn't make it Disney's fault but it does make it a tragic accident and people shouldn't be so quick to blame the person or their family for ignoring warnings they didn't know they should heed.

Sadly, my best friend lost her 57 year old father yesterday to a massive heart attack. The autopsy report indicated a clot in the left anterial artery (or something like that - try consoling a friend getting autopsy report results and see what you remember). Anyway, he had a heart problem he didn't know about. He passed away in his home but it could have happened anywhere. He wasn't feeling well earlier in the day and had a headache (probably from the blood pressure) but went to a baseball game thinking nothing of it. Now his widow is thinking what if? We assured her she shouldn't think that way. What if you insisted he go to the hospital for a headache? Its just not reasonable to assume that a person with no known problems would have a heart attack because they had a headache. This loss was very sad. BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE HIM OR HIS FAMILY STUPID!

Perhaps I'm being oversensitive under the circumstances but I just think people can be more respectful with their comments on a thread regarding the tragic death of an innocent child.

 

[wolfxofxnovember]

I must say that I'm disturbed by comments like "don't ya just love how people pay attention to the warnings". While that may be true for some, how likely is it that the family of this 12 year old child knew about a pre-exiting condition and let him ride? Many people don't know that they have problems until its too late. That doesn't make it Disney's fault but it does make it a tragic accident and people shouldn't be so quick to blame the person or their family for ignoring warnings they didn't know they should heed.

Sadly, my best friend lost her 57 year old father yesterday to a massive heart attack. The autopsy report indicated a clot in the left anterial artery (or something like that - try consoling a friend getting autopsy report results and see what you remember). Anyway, he had a heart problem he didn't know about. He passed away in his home but it could have happened anywhere. He wasn't feeling well earlier in the day and had a headache (probably from the blood pressure) but went to a baseball game thinking nothing of it. Now his widow is thinking what if? We assured her she shouldn't think that way. What if you insisted he go to the hospital for a headache? Its just not reasonable to assume that a person with no known problems would have a heart attack because they had a headache. This loss was very sad. BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE HIM OR HIS FAMILY STUPID!

Perhaps I'm being oversensitive under the circumstances but I just think people can be more respectful with their comments on a thread regarding the tragic death of an innocent child.

I completely agree with you. The only ppl I said were stupid were adults that intentionally went against safety guidelines. I am sorry for your friends loss I hope she finds the courage to carry on.