Death at DW today

[angey77]

My thoughts go out to the family as well. I don't have children, but I can't imagine going from the elated feeling most get after the ride is over to looking over and experiencing the horror of seeing your own child slumped over and unresponsive.
I was at work yesterday when my husband called me with the news. Of course, I got mad at him and told him I did not believe him. I could have sworn he was messing with me since I'm leaving TODAY for a WDW trip with my nieces and he knows I look forward to this attraction like crazy.
I'm starting to think its me. Two days before my first trip to DL (last summer), California Screamin' had that big accident that shut it down for months.

 

[jjarman]

How sad for the family! I can't even imagine!

I always wonder- they always report the death with the ride they were on last, but how do they not know that a ride they were on earlier "caused" the problem, but it just became evident later? (Does that even make sense? For instance if riding TOT triggered an unknown heart condition, and then the person went on RnR?)

Good point. I hadn't even thought of that. Also, it is really hot down there now. Was this kid dehydrated in any way? That alone would not have caused the problem. It surely would have been noticed earlier. But if he had some kind of unknown condition (and I bet he did) this could have added to it.

 

[taragl]

I read back two pages and didn't see this posted. It came through via CNN alert:

"Preliminary autopsy results found no injuries, but indicated congenital heart abnormalities in a 12-year-old boy who died after a Disney ride in Florida, according to a statement from the medical examiner's office."

 

[SpectroMagic*o*]

This really worries me. I hope the family, rather than sue Disney or anything, leave Disney alone cuz I'd be livid at my son's pediatrician. I cant stand that I feel like this has been happening more and more. What needs to be done is that doctors and pediatricians need to make heart testing mandatory, it should be a regulated standardized test done for everyone every year...this way they can decide which rides are okay for them to go on...not find out after it's too late. This heart ailment thing is something I keep hearing about that continues to go seemingly undetected (ex: last years little boy, this years little boy, a girl that went to the district I work at, John Ritter, ...). But thats because tests on your heart isnt something people thinkl to get checked out, especially the youngins! I dont know, I think when I become a parent I'm going to ask my doctor to check EVERYTHING on my kid, just to be on the safe side. I'm only 25 years old but I recently had my heart and aorta checked out.

 

[heatherlynn444]

my thoughts and prayers to this poor family...makes me not want to ride some of the rides when I go. Kinda scary

 

[vascubaguy]

I just read on Yahoo! News that the boy had a congenital heart defect.

Article as follows:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The 12-year-old boy who died after riding a Walt Disney World roller coaster had a congenital heart defect, a medical examiner ruled Friday.

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The autopsy of Michael Russell was done one day after he passed out while riding Disney-MGM's Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. His father, an Iraq war veteran, performed CPR on the boy, but Michael was pronounced dead at a hospital.

"No evidence of injury was found but congenital heart abnormalities were detected, which will be further evaluated," the Orange County medical examiner's office said in a statement.

The cause of death was left pending until additional test are conducted, Dr. Sara H. Irrgang, an associate medical examiner, ruled.

Disney World reopened the coaster Friday after determining that nothing mechanical caused the boy's death. A Disney Web site description of the ride says: "Zoom from 0-60 mph with the force of a supersonic F-14, take in high-speed loops and turns synchronized to a specially recorded Aerosmith soundtrack."

"Walt Disney World engineers and ride system experts completed a thorough inspection of the attraction overnight and found it to be operating properly," the company said in a statement. "A representative from the state Bureau of Fair Rides Inspection observed the ride inspection and testing."

Disney and other large amusement parks are exempt from state oversight, but Disney has allowed government inspectors to watch after fatalities.

The boy's father, Byron Russell, noticed that Michael became limp while they rode the coaster along with his mother and 7-year-old brother. When the minute-long ride finished, Russell pulled Michael off and performed CPR until paramedics arrived, said Barbara Miller, Orange County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman.

Miller said Russell told officials that the boy was healthy and that the family didn't know of any underlying medical problems.

The company and military said they were assisting the family.

The father is a part of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) based at Fort Campbell, Ky., and served in Iraq, said special forces Command spokesman Maj. Jim Gregory.

"You can't even put words to how devastating this would be," Gregory said.

Michael's death was the latest in a string of tragedies at Walt Disney World in recent years. At least 15 people have died at Disney's theme parks in Florida and California since 1989, including some with pre-existing health conditions. Disney-MGM is among Disney's four Florida parks.

Most of the company's recent troubles have been over another ride — Epcot's "Mission: Space," a rocketship attraction that simulates a flight to Mars.

Two people have died in the last year after going on the ride, which spins in a centrifuge that subjects riders to twice the normal force of gravity. Now Disney offers people an option to ride a tamer version of the ride that does not spin.

 

[Disney Girlie-Wirlie]

My thoughts go out to the family as well. I don't have children, but I can't imagine going from the elated feeling most get after the ride is over to looking over and experiencing the horror of seeing your own child slumped over and unresponsive.
I was at work yesterday when my husband called me with the news. Of course, I got mad at him and told him I did not believe him. I could have sworn he was messing with me since I'm leaving TODAY for a WDW trip with my nieces and he knows I look forward to this attraction like crazy.
I'm starting to think its me. Two days before my first trip to DL (last summer), California Screamin' had that big accident that shut it down for months.

Hello there! I'm gonna give myself one of these first:
Just wanted to point out that Ihaven't seen you on the DisBoards before but I love your signature-The Evolution of a Disney Dork, that's classic, I love it! I need to do that on mine!
And I had to laugh when I saw your quote that reads: "Choose between Mike and Mickey? Never!" because I too am married to a Mike and I could never choose! I feel the same way, so I that was funny. But that's all I wanted to say.

As far as this incident goes, I've posted this already, but it's just gut wrenching. Words can't describe. And the scary part is, is that it's not Disney's fault and I'm sure it's not the parents fault. But as SpectroMagic stated in her post, the fault could lie with the childs primary physician. When I was a child, my mother always made regular appointments with our pediatrician for check-ups. And alot of parents are the same way, so it's scary to think that despite our efforts to make sure our children are always healthy, there's still a chance that they may not be. And that's a paralyzing fear for any parent. I don't know that this was the case, that the child saw a physician regulary, but if it was, then there's something to be said about his doctor and I would probably look into some legal action there, but not against Disney.

 

[rtphokie]

CNN is also reporting that in the preliminary autopsy "No evidence of injury was found, but congenital heart abnormalities were detected which will be further evaluated,"

 

[summerrluvv]

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.

PUHLEEZE.

Actually I was reading from a link posted on the DIS that provided amusement park accident statistics, not going by what I've heard on the news.

 

[pepperw23]

Unfortunately, I do know how the family feels, as I unexpectedly lost my 2 year 8 month old son in a drowning accident. I have been to grief support group, and I know from other parents that there is something called Long QT syndrome, and it is an undetected heart problem that can cause death from even an alarm clock going off- any over excitement can cause even death.. its from the hearbeat speeding up or something like that-- maybe this boy had some thing like that??
My heart goes out to this family, as I know that their lives will never be the same again.[/QUOT


My heart goes out to you.

 

[ReggieB]

This really worries me. I hope the family, rather than sue Disney or anything, leave Disney alone cuz I'd be livid at my son's pediatrician. I cant stand that I feel like this has been happening more and more. What needs to be done is that doctors and pediatricians need to make heart testing mandatory, it should be a regulated standardized test done for everyone every year...this way they can decide which rides are okay for them to go on...not find out after it's too late. This heart ailment thing is something I keep hearing about that continues to go seemingly undetected (ex: last years little boy, this years little boy, a girl that went to the district I work at, John Ritter, ...). But thats because tests on your heart isnt something people thinkl to get checked out, especially the youngins! I dont know, I think when I become a parent I'm going to ask my doctor to check EVERYTHING on my kid, just to be on the safe side. I'm only 25 years old but I recently had my heart and aorta checked out.

Some of that crossed my mind when I read the most recent CNN report. I know very little about medical stuff, but I am kind of amazed that congenital issues, particularly of the heart go undetected. I must be very naive, but I kind of assumed your Doctor would pick that sort of stuff up.

My father died of a congenital heart condition, however it was something he knew about all his life. Listening to his heart was a real give away, so it was easy for a doctor to spot. Our sonogram technician picked up on a kidney issue (wasn't growing) during the sonogram for my DS. I had to have many extra sonograms so they could keep checking on it, these lasted a good 30 minutes, someone was really carefully checking all the organs and so forth. We had follow up tests once he was born also (he's fine by the way, the kidney developed properly in the end)

I don't know what sort of tests this poor child would have needed, the family must be completely distraught thinking that if only they knew. Life is so cruddy sometimes. I hope they are able to get through this together.

 

[jjarman]

This really worries me. I hope the family, rather than sue Disney or anything, leave Disney alone cuz I'd be livid at my son's pediatrician. I cant stand that I feel like this has been happening more and more. What needs to be done is that doctors and pediatricians need to make heart testing mandatory, it should be a regulated standardized test done for everyone every year...this way they can decide which rides are okay for them to go on...not find out after it's too late. This heart ailment thing is something I keep hearing about that continues to go seemingly undetected (ex: last years little boy, this years little boy, a girl that went to the district I work at, John Ritter, ...). But thats because tests on your heart isnt something people thinkl to get checked out, especially the youngins! I dont know, I think when I become a parent I'm going to ask my doctor to check EVERYTHING on my kid, just to be on the safe side. I'm only 25 years old but I recently had my heart and aorta checked out.

What kind of test would you suggest? An echocardiogram? That would only cover the heart. What about a malformation of blood vessels in the brain. This has been reported in some other sudden deaths. I guess we could order MRIs on every newborn. But that would involve sedating the child which is dangerous. What if there is a malformation in the bowels that causes a rupture and death? I remember reading about someone who died of this. It was a child and went undetected.

My point is you can't test for everything. Some of the testing can be dangerous to an otherwise normal child. Doctors are not perfect. Some things are not detectible unless you do extensive and expensive testing. You can't prepare for everything.

 

[donna93]

I am going with my family to disney for the first time! We leave in 2 days! Now I am extremely worried! After reading the article in the newspaper I was devastated! Its so sad! My question is does anyone know the rides that the other people died in? I am a HUGE worry wart and I think this might ruin my trip that I planned for months!! Do they close down the rides that people die in?

 

[daisax]

jjarman is right -- you simply cannot test for flukes. And the majority of these conditions are flukes.

The heart is both a mechanical and electrical system. They found an abnormality in this boy's heart muscle, so that's something physical to pinpoint (and may or may not have been detectable with echocardiography). But it might just as easily have been an electrical disturbance that he had once or twice a week for a minute at a time, his entire life. Or 4 times a day. And in either case wouldn't show up on an office EKG, and possibly not on a 24 hour EKG (Holter monitor) either.

There is also a growing school of thought that the diagnostic tools that we are relying on more and more to find disease are locating problems that may not ever have become life-threatening problems in the first place if we didn't know they were there. That is, sure, you find a heart valve defect, and you go in and repair it. That's great.

But in many cases routine scans pick up a small shadow or lump or other irregularity. And it's removed "just to be safe." And maybe there's chemo or radiation "just in case." And then the person has chemo or radiation-related side effects or disease and eventually dies from those. And there may not be any evidence that the little pocket of pre-cancerous whatever would have developed into cancer in the first place.

I'm not saying testing isn't useful, just that you can't let the tail wag the dog. And you can't live your life terrified because 1 person in however many million has a fatal attack in Walt Disney World, when it might just as easily have happened in the swimming pool at their local YMCA, where you never would have heard a word about it unless you lived in the same area.

 

[BlindTyldak]

I am going with my family to disney for the first time! We leave in 2 days! Now I am extremely worried! After reading the article in the newspaper I was devastated! Its so sad! My question is does anyone know the rides that the other people died in? I am a HUGE worry wart and I think this might ruin my trip that I planned for months!! Do they close down the rides that people die in?

If someone passes on a ride they shut it down for the day to ensure that it was not mechanical failure on the ride's part. But if everything is in order, they reopen it the next day. don't let this ruin your trip . . . remember, the recent deaths were things that really could have happened anywhere, any theme park, or any stressful situation, and while I'm sorry to say it because it sounds cold right now, it was just a matter of time before something triggered the passing of these people. it just happened to happen at Disney, sadly.

 

[rejobako]

This really worries me. I hope the family, rather than sue Disney or anything, leave Disney alone cuz I'd be livid at my son's pediatrician.

Me too. Until my pediatrician offers E-ticket rides and a "magical experience", I'm going to place blame on him/her instead of Disney, regardless of whether it was his fault.


I'm being facetious, of course, but you do understand, don't you, that autopsy results can reveal abnormalities that the best doctors and most comprehensive tests could not reveal without cutting a live patient open and examining his heart?

I am not suggesting Disney is culpable here, but I find it strange that some people leap to its defense by pointing fingers in every other possible direction. Sometimes abnormalities are undetected because they are undetectable. Let's not put the pediatrician on the chopping block just to have someone to blame.

 

[Suzanne74]

I'm not saying testing isn't useful, just that you can't let the tail wag the dog. And you can't live your life terrified because 1 person in however many million has a fatal attack in Walt Disney World, when it might just as easily have happened in the swimming pool at their local YMCA, where you never would have heard a word about it unless you lived in the same area.

I agree with this 100%. Overtesting every child for every little thing would put insurance companies in bancrupcy. You yourself can ask your pediatrician for any test known to mankind, but you have to pay for it and they are costly. This is your choice. If this boy's cause of death was congenital (which preliminary reports are saying) then there is no one to blame since many can not be detected. Disney isn't to blame, the parents aren't and either is the pediatrician. It is just horrible unfortunate luck. Same with the 4yr old with Mission Space. I think it is sad those parents are sueing Disney I understand their grief is more then I could ever imagine but there is nothing Disney could have done. If it wasn't there, it could have been anywhere.

For the few posters who posted about a loss of a child, my heart goes out to you as well.

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

I may be confusing RnR with a different ride, but I seem to recall a story from a while back where a ride was stopped because someone didn't look right on the control room's monitors? Does anyone else remember this?

I can completely understand the CMs not telling the real reason why the ride is closed- they would get a thousand questions about what happened, and they really didn't have enough info to answer them yet. I am surprised if they were saying they didn't know- doesn't Disney have a rule against cast members saying I don't know? I'm surprised they didn't say something like the ride was closed for maintenance or testing, though.

I must be horrible anytime a child dies of an a problem that you never even knew they had, but I can't imagine how much worse it must be when you're on a family vacation!

 

[PolyFish]

I send prayers and pixie dust to the family.

 

[Goobergal99]

I agree with this 100%. Overtesting every child for every little thing would put insurance companies in bancrupcy. You yourself can ask your pediatrician for any test known to mankind, but you have to pay for it and they are costly. This is your choice. If this boy's cause of death was congenital (which preliminary reports are saying) then there is no one to blame since many can not be detected. Disney isn't to blame, the parents aren't and either is the pediatrician. It is just horrible unfortunate luck. Same with the 4yr old with Mission Space. I think it is sad those parents are sueing Disney I understand their grief is more then I could ever imagine but there is nothing Disney could have done. If it wasn't there, it could have been anywhere.

For the few posters who posted about a loss of a child, my heart goes out to you as well.

Unfortuantely some ppl feel that cash or posessions will somehow fill the void that is felt when a love one is lost, hence why they sue.

The one that drives me nuts is when ppl sue for emotional distress,I mean come on who is not emotionally distressed when they lose someone they love