Death at DW today

[PrincessPaczki]

How sad. Just remember to give that extra looonnngggg hug tonight to our little ones or big ones) at bed time!!

God needed another little angel.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Costumed castmembers are not official spokespersons of the Walt Disney Company. They are not trained to answer properly or in detail the complexities of the situation at hand. Can you imagine two 22 year old CMs telling a few people that a guest passed away. Immediately they would be bombarded with anxious guests wanting to know details who may turn into angry guests when their questions are not answered.

I feel for the family of the little boy. I feel for the children of a local newspaper carrier who was obliterated this morning at 4 am while waiting to make a left turn when a 19 yr old boy, doing 100 mph, decided to pass a slow moving vehicle and hit her head on. I know one doesn't have anything to do with the other. It just goes to show that we never know what may happen in a day. Senselessness occurs all the time. Sometimes there are people we can blame, and sometimes there aren't. This is life.

 

[CleveRocks]

Someone posted a link on amusement park accidents on this thread or another one, I don't recall. Anyway, reading through the incidents, yes there were a lot, but most of them were not at the same park more than once or twice and most of them were because of rider fault or operator fault (i.e. rider standing up, or a ride attendant not paying attention). There is something with these Disney rides that is aggrivating underlying health problems that these riders have and resulting in death. It's sad, but I think they need to look into the rides a little further and their affects on the body with the g-forces or whatever (I'm not a coaster expert). Yes, there are bigger and faster rides at other places, but they are not the same as the ones at Disney and different rides can have different effects on the body.

What happened today at MGM is a tragedy, regardless of how it happened.

But what you are posting is just a misunderstanding of statistics, and of reality. Just because we KNOW about incidents at WDW does not mean they happen there more often. If there was a death at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio, you probably would never hear about it. Even if it made the national news, it would be news for 5 minutes. Even if you heard/watched the story, you've never heard of the place so it doesn't stay in your memory. You certainly don't sit up and take notice of it. There could have been a death at Dorney Park in Allentown, PA already this year, but again, none of us would sit up and notice.

So when you say "there's something about these Disney rides," that's just irresponsible to suggest that it happens more at Disney than at other places. We just hear about it more, as I explained above.

Another poster a few pages back also offered a good perspective based in statistics. Let's say that one out of 20 million people have an underlying condition that can cause sudden death. If WDW has 42 million visitors a year, that means that, on average, about 2 people will die there each year. If Steel Pier Amusements in Atlantic City, NJ has 100,000 guests a year, then on average it will take 200 years until they have one of those sad sudden deaths (based on one in 20 million people; with 100,000 visitors a year, it would take 200 years until 20 million people walk through their gates).

Does that mean that Steel Pier is safer than WDW??? HEAVENS NO!!! It just means that since WDW has more people, it will also have more tragedy.

I'll bet that in WDW parks and resorts there are 1 million incidents a year of permanently stained clothing due to someone being a messy eater. At my local pizza shop there are 100 such incidents a year. Since WDW had 1 million stains and my local pizza shop only had 100 stains last year, then by your reasoning people who go to WDW must be slobs, or Disney food must have something in it that causes nasty stains, whereas my local pizza shop has a very clean clientele and serves pure and unstaining food, as judged by the fact that there are fewer stains there annually.

PUHLEEZE.

 

[DebbieB]

I was there last week with my 12 year old niece. She wasn't afraid to ride anything but when it came to RnR, I told her it went upside down. She said no and I didn't push it. She's skinny, only 75 pounds, and I was afraid to push it because I think it's an intense ride (that's why I love it!). I probably could have talked her into it. Glad I didn't now, something told me that it might be too much for her.

 

[2d_star_to_the_right]

My condolences to the family. This is a time of great sorrow and our thoughts and prayers are with them.

Some thoughts that cross my mind as I read the posts:
1) As a pedicatric nurse practitioner- there is little way that any pediatrician could guarantee your child's heart health. The heart can flip an arrythmia at any time- not just the minute or two it takes to have an EKG done. Short of having everyone wear a 24 hr. holter monitor for some extended period of time the random EKG on a "healthy" child is just that- likely to not show anything. In addition, health insurance will not cover the cost for a "normal" child and they can be expensive- especially if you multiply them by the number of children you have. In short- a child would need a holter monitor and an ultrasound to really have a thorough exam.

2) AED's are critical and they are at Disney World- they are indeed simple to use- the machine walks you through step by step- however- the machine will not treat every arrythmia. No doubt- Disney should have an AED at every major ride- now who wants to define major? Space Mountain? Mission SPace? Alice's Tea Cups? Barnyard Rollar Coaster? Each one has good reasons for having a personal AED.

3) The fact that CPR was administered - does not mean that the heart was the responsible factor for the death- it could have been a neurological insult or another factor. Autopsy results will help determine the cause.

4) Ride Safety- rollar coasters have come along way in their safety- and they are great fun provided 1) you follow the safety rules 2) you know your limits 3) you practice them in moderation (they are not so nice to the brain). Always check your safety restraints to ensure they are locked.

5) As for castmembers not announcing a death/injury occured- they shouldn't. 1) the family is entitled to privacy and does not need to have the entire theme park knowing (that will happen soon enough given CNN's 24 hr. need to fill time) 2) Guests learning of this experience may trigger stress or other emotional anxieties that may cause medical/emotional difficulties. 3) Many people have concerns/fear/phobia/anxiety around mortality and this news is obviously upsetting to everyone- and probably more so for those who are in DW right now. Also- children hear things and may develop fears/anxieties that won't surface for months around rides, characters, parent separation. Parents will learn either through TV, rumor mill, newspaper- and can choose to tell or not to tell their children as they feel best.

6) Disney World hosts millions of guests/year. Things happen that are bad, horrifying, sad, happy, good and thrilling. Placing blame is not helpful. The parents, as millions of parents before them, more than likely thought their child was capable of riding. The requirements for ht. were met. The ride operated in the fashion it was designed too. The best outcome is to learn whatever can be had from this tragedy such as Disney increasing the number of AED's. (again- it may NOT have mattered here, but it certainly makes sense to have more instead of less). To continue to improve paramedic response (although 5 min is pretty hard to beat) and to continue to assess safety through ongoing research via changes to the ride, signs, warnings, or whatever.

Just thoughts

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

This makes me very sad and I wish these things never happened.

I also just want to take a moment to respond about defibrillators, since I completed 10 hours of defib. training - as I was required to do so as a teacher.

1. They do save lives. Last year a teacher had a heart attack and his heart stopped beating and a colleague used the defib and he did survive.

2. There are no child or adult defibs. There is only one kind. There are rules on how to use them- it must be on bare skin, no jewelry, etc. You could get burns from the defib esp. if you have a hidden piercing, but it will not kill you. It may not save you, but it can't kill you. We were reassured of this many times.

3. Disney does have defibrillators in the parks, but I do not know the locations nor why they were unable to use one here.

Whenever there is a death on a ride, I forever think of it when I go on that ride. I say a little prayer for the person. I will still enjoy my favorite attractions but part of the magic is gone because I still have that little jolt of sadness as I remember.

My mother is a nurse in a cardiologist's office and she says the typical tests used to detect those heart conditions are typically not adminitered to children without any symptoms. The doctor would most certainly perform those (stress test, electrocardiogram, Holter monitor, etc.) but insurance would most likely not pay.

I'm so sad.

 

[lillygator]

personally - if it was my child, it's none of your business and I don't think CM's should have to spout out to other guests as so.

how tragic....prayers for the family....

 

[Stepharia]

We are from Kentucky where the boy was from so it was just on our local news. My heart goes out to his family and our prayers are with them.

 

[Katems]

4) Ride Safety- rollar coasters have come along way in their safety- and they are great fun provided 1) you follow the safety rules 2) you know your limits 3) you practice them in moderation (they are not so nice to the brain). Always check your safety restraints to ensure they are locked.


Could you elaborate on the coasters being 'not so nice to the brain'? What do you mean, exactly? What should we know and be aware of, especially when children ride?

 

[Mom2Casey]

Costumed castmembers are not official spokespersons of the Walt Disney Company. They are not trained to answer properly or in detail the complexities of the situation at hand. Can you imagine two 22 year old CMs telling a few people that a guest passed away. Immediately they would be bombarded with anxious guests wanting to know details who may turn into angry guests when their questions are not answered.

I feel for the family of the little boy. I feel for the children of a local newspaper carrier who was obliterated this morning at 4 am while waiting to make a left turn when a 19 yr old boy, doing 100 mph, decided to pass a slow moving vehicle and hit her head on. I know one doesn't have anything to do with the other. It just goes to show that we never know what may happen in a day. Senselessness occurs all the time. Sometimes there are people we can blame, and sometimes there aren't. This is life.

How TRUE is that??? CM's do as they are instructed and alot of them are young and there on a work program. I know I wouldn't want to scare people and be asked 100 questions that I couldn't answer. Things like... how old was he? did he have a health problem? did the ride malfunction? did he die ON the ride? and it could go on. I bet alot of that hadn't been determined at that time anyhow. For the privacy of the family grieving I don't think Disney has the right to let it all out without having all the details, IMO. I myself went to Foxwoods once where a guy collapsed and died. They immediately hung a huge curtain all around him as they were trying to revive him. People were going nuts asking questions and the officials there also wouldn't release any information. Personally, I wouldn't want to know walking up with my 6 yr old as she is smart and can easily understand if a CM said a boy died. I don't need to spend my afternoon explaining why, what and how. I would rather just walk away and go to another ride and be sad when it all came out in the news. Bottom line, Disney is a HUGE corporation, I think they are advised by their legal counselors on what they should do and say. And thats my opinion.

 

[TruBlu]

This is horrible beyond words. I will pray for this family. I can't even imagine how devistated they must be. I am so, so sorry for them.

 

[Ashes711]

I've been thinking that the CMs probably really didn't know what happened. I know co-workers gossip and things get around, but Disney has quite a few employees, and the news may not have gotten around quickly. Also...I'm sure they were trying to keep everyone from knowing, so there wasn't a panic or anything.
Anyways...my heart goes out to the family. They are definitely in my prayers.

 

[Suzanne74]

First off, my heart completely goes out to that boy's parents and also (as many seem to forget) the 7yr old little brother who just watched his older brother die. It brings tears to my eyes because I can't imagine how empty they all must feel. So tragic and do unfair. I hope they find peace in their lives somewhere in the future.

Now the name of the person in the article is the father who was sitting next to him. The mother and 7yr old were in front or back of them but their names have not been released. No one else (including the 7yr old) had any issues during or after the ride. Since initial reports are in that the ride was working correctly, I would have to think (as most of you do) that this was something that probably could not have been prevented. I know Disney does have AD's in the park but really, even if there was one near the RnRC, it wouldn't have been much less than 5min (which is what it took for the EMT's to arrive) to have a frantic CM trying to apply this thing and use it. Yes, I know - they should be trained and I am sure they are but they are not EMT's, they are not nurses or doctors. A 20yr old CM seeing a slumped over 12yr old boy in a seat could not possibly get the boy out of the seat, on the ground, assess for breathing and heartbeat and then apply and use the AD in less than 5min. Yes it could be possible in a non frantic theoretical way (like with a dummy in a training session) but these CM's are just that - CM's. The BEST thing to do is call 911 like they did and wait for the trained EMT's to arrive that handle crisis situations. With proper CPR (that was being performed) you could revitalize someone, esp a child if they are able to be. EMT's arriving at 5min could have saved this boy's life, if it was possible. It is unfortunate that his body did not which leads me to think that it was not just an arrythmia that could have been shocked. I agree with another poster who said it might not even be cardiac arrest, could be neurological, brain hemmorhage etc... I am curious to know if this was his first ride on it and if the father noticed any movement or screaming from him DURING the ride. I am sure more will come out about this. I am sure no matter who this unfortunate situation turns out, Disney will start putting more AD's out but how many is enough? Should they be on every single bus, every single hotel room, every single bathroom, every single ride. I mean, 5 minutes is very quick for emergency medical crew. I don't know what else could have possibly been done?

The sad thing is children do die and many unexpectedly. I remember when I was in high school, one of my classmates in 9th grade went to sleep and never woke back up. Brain hemmorhage of unknown origin. Last year a 13yr old had a stroke right before (not during) her swim meet in a school near here. She did survive though and preliminary reports showed hardening of one of her carotid arteries. She was a healthy non-overweight girl. Who would have known. Today I was in my daughter's pediatrician's office for a kindergarten exam and overheard the nurse going over with one mom, how her daughter's cholesterol was high and needed to be rechecked. This is a pediatric office - cholesterol!! My cousin's wife's cousin just dropped dead gardening. She was 32yrs old. She had multiple seizures and collapsed and was brain dead. So things unfortunately do happen to kids, teens and adults, esp ones that are predisposed to heart conditions. Most of the time it is when the heart is pumping harder than usual and the pressure (as in blood pressure) rises. 99% of the population hearts can handle an enourmous amount of stress but there are some (and most unknown) that can not. Whether it is sports, thrill rides or just playing tag - it can happen and no one but God knows why.

And to the poster who is angry that the CM said "I don't know" instead of telling the "truth" like hey, someone just died here. 1. It isn't her/his job to be a spokesperson and could actually be sued by the family if something leaked that they did not allow. 2. Do you honestly think people would just walk away and go okay onto the next ride and not make a scene that might endanger the CM 3. What if 5yr old Johnny was right next to the adult who was asking - should the CM still announce "a little boy just died on this rollercoaster, have a magical day johnny" I mean come on already be realistic.

 

[Kramer]

3. Disney does have defibrillators in the parks, but I do not know the locations nor why they were unable to use one here.

It is possible that they did have a defibrillator there, but the machine does not always deliver a shock to an unresponsive patient.

It only delivers a shock when it detects the heart is in fibrillation - hence the name DEfibrillator.

Many times the defibrillator just instructs you to continue CPR because it does not detect a shockable heart rhythm.

 

[helenm29]

I feal really awful for the parents! Although I have a fealing it's going to be some hidden medical condition that the boy suffered from...that's the problem with "High Stress" rides though, you never know what's going to happen! we'll put out some prayers for the parents.

 

[StrwLady]

The article says that the father said that he noticed that something was wrong before the ride even stopped, and that he immediately started CPR as soon as it did.

As I read this my heart sank even deeper. I imagined those moments between his father noticing someting was wrong to the time he was able to get to his son. That must have lasted an eternity.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of this child. My God comfort them now and in the time to come.

Take Care
Jamie

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

As I read this my heart sank even deeper. I imagined those moments between his father noticing someting was wrong to the time he was able to get to his son. That must have lasted an eternity.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of this child. My God comfort them now and in the time to come.

Take Care
Jamie

I just saw a tidbit of this on CNN and ofcourse came here and read this thread.
What I quoted above was the first thought I had. I can still visualize riding next to my son (8yrs old) on this ride as he was finally tall enough to ride it. I cannot imagine what it would feel like to "notice something was wrong" while riding this ride with him next to me and be unable to do a thing until the ride stopped and the restraints were off. Not that he could do anything- but I just cannot imagine that feeling he must have had. Just thinking about it makes my heart sink.

Prayers to the family and friends of this boy. So sad.

 

[travelitis]

It really is heartbreaking. I know what it's like to lose a child while on a weekend trip. We were in a car accident on the way home, and my 5 yr. old was killed. It's horrible, but you have to go on living rather than letting the pain of loss immobilize you. Also my father drowned on vacation when I was very young. You'd think I'd stop vacationing, but I believe when it's your time to go it really doesn't matter where you are. I love the idea of showering this family with cards. It was touching to me when people I hadn't seen in years took the time to send me cards. Does anyone know how we could get cards to them? Perhaps there's a local newspaper we could send them to, and they'd forward them.


This is from the article which shows how unlikely it is that this ride is going to hurt you. You're in far greater danger driving to Disney or to the airport to go to Disney.

"Disney said 36.6 million people have ridden Rock 'n' Roller Coaster since its 1999 debut.

There have been no previously reported deaths, nor any major injuries or illnesses since at least 2002, according to available state records. A Web-based organization that monitors theme park news internationally, themeparkinsider.com, cites a 2000 incident in which a 43-year-old man suffered a brain bleed on the ride."

 

[stemikger]

Originally quoted by Travelitis
It really is heartbreaking. I know what it's like to lose a child while on a weekend trip. We were in a car accident on the way home, and my 5 yr. old was killed. It's horrible, but you have to go on living rather than letting the pain of loss immobilize you.

Wow, I'm also sorry for your loss. I really admire your strength.

It's people like you that give strentgh to others.

Prayers to you and your family.

 

[cajunfan]

This has been all over the local news here in Nashville. (TNTraveler...I pray that this was not your client) The father (Michael Russel) is stationed at Fort Campbell (an army base right across the state line in KY). I am sure that if any one wanted to send cards, they could contact either the local news stations here in Nashville, the local newpaper in Clarksville, TN (or The Tennessean in Nashville). I would post links, but I am somewhat computer challenged here...

My heart goes out to this family. This is my 12 year old son's favorite ride. I can not imagine something like this happenning to him!

Lynn