Ft. Campbell boy dies after riding Disney World roller coaster (Father member of 5th Spec'l Forces)

WKRN Nashville and Associated Press ^ | June 29, 2006 | Travis Reed and Kelli Kennedy

[bd476]

WKRN Nashville

June 29, 2006, 11:30 pm

(AP) Ft. Campbell boy dies after riding Disney World roller coaster

By TRAVIS REED
Associated Press Writer
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.


A 12-year-old Kentucky boy died after riding a roller coaster Thursday at the Disney-MGM theme park, the latest in a string of tragedies that have stung Walt Disney World in recent years.

Michael Russell of Fort Campbell had ridden the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster with his parents and 7-year-old brother.

When the minute-long ride was finished, the father noticed his son was limp. Byron Russell pulled Michael off the ride and started to perform CPR until paramedics arrived, said Barbara Miller, Orange County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman.

The boy was pronounced dead after he was taken by ambulance to Celebration Hospital at about 11:30 a.m., Disney said in a statement. No cause of death could be immediately determined.

"According to the family, he was a very healthy child," Miller said. "The father repeated that he was healthy, he had no problems."

The boy's father is a member of the 5th Special Forces Group based at the Army post straddling the Kentucky-Tennessee border.

State officials say he is the ninth person to die at Disney World since 2003. At least 15 people have died at Disney's two theme parks in Florida and California since 1989. At least some of the victims had pre-existing health conditions.

Disney said a preliminary investigation showed the roller coaster was operating normally, but the company closed it pending full results. The attraction, which blasts riders from 0-60 in 2.8 seconds and through high-speed loops, requires that guests must be at least four-feet tall.

Florida law exempts large, permanent amusement parks that have their own safety inspectors from state oversight, but Disney invited the Bureau of Fair Rides Inspection to monitor the review, the company said.

The sheriff's office was investigating at the scene and state park safety officials were notified.

"Our deepest concerns are with the family," Disneyspokesman Jacob DiPietre said. "Disney cast members are with them providing any assistance that we can provide."

Most of Disney'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 12 months after going on the ride, which spins in a centrifuge that subjects riders to twice the normal force of gravity. Disney has since unveiled a tamer version that does not spin.

Daudi Bamuwamye, 4, of Sellersville, Pa., died June 13, 2005 of an irregular heartbeat linked to an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle that can cause sudden death, an autopsy showed. His family earlier this month filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Disney seeking unspecified damages.

In April, a 49-year-old woman from Germany became ill and died after the ride. A medical examiner's report said she died from bleeding of the brain and had severe, long-standing high blood pressure.

Some of the other deaths include:

_ A 12-year-old from Newport News, Va., died after she collapsed at Typhoon Lagoon water park last August. Medical officials determined Jerra Kirby died from arrhythmia caused by an early stage viral heart infection.

_ A Disney worker dressed as Pluto was run over and killed by a float as itentered a Magic Kingdom parade in 2004.

Additionally, a 16-year-old British girl suffered cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated shortly after she rode "The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror" at Disney-MGM last year. She remained in critical condition months later and had to be flown home by air ambulance.

Tourists at MGM Thursday told the Orlando Sentinel the death made them concerned about the rides.

"It seems like things have changed a lot in respect to safety. I'll tell you I'm not surprised that this has happened," Larry Wagner, of Louisiana, said.

Eugena Pruitt, of Virginia, said three deaths in one year was higher than average.

"They should inspect and find out what is causing the deaths," Pruitt said.

Theme park consultants told The Associated Press the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster was fairly tame.

"As roller coasters go that is not considered an ultra, ultra high-thrill coaster. It does have some high launch speeds, but it's more along the traditional lines of what roller coasters are today," said David Speigel, president of Cincinnati-based International Theme Park Services Inc. "I would have to classify this as an anomaly, highly unusual and certainly out of sorts for Disney."

Orlando-based theme park consultant Steve Baker said he didn't think the recentdeaths would deter tourists from visiting Disney.

"I think people are going to be concerned, but I don't think it's going to make people change their vacation plans," said Baker, president of Baker Leisure Group Inc.

"That roller coaster is not an extreme roller coaster."

___

Associated Press Writer Kelli Kennedy in Miami contributed to this report.

[bd476]

ABC News

Boy Dies After Disney Roller Coaster Ride

12-Year-Old Boy Dies After Riding Roller Coaster at Disney MGM Theme Park in Florida

By TRAVIS REED
The Associated Press

June 29, 2006

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - A 12-year-old boy died after riding a roller coaster Thursday at the Disney MGM theme park, the latest in a string of tragedies that have stung Walt Disney World in recent years.

Michael Russell of Fort Campbell, Ky., had ridden the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster with his parents and 7-year-old brother. When the minute-long ride was finished, Byron Russell noticed his son was limp, pulled him off the ride and performed CPR until paramedics arrived, Orange County sheriff's spokeswoman Barbara Miller said.

The boy was pronounced dead after he was taken by ambulance to Celebration Hospital at about 11:30 a.m., Disney said in a statement. The cause of death was not immediately determined.

"According to the family, he was a very healthy child," Miller said.

State officials say he is the ninth person to die at Disney World since 2003. At least 15 people have died at Disney's theme parks in Florida and California since 1989. At least some of the victims had pre-existing health conditions.

The park closed the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster but said a preliminary investigation showed the ride was operating normally.

The sheriff's office was investigating at the scene. State park safety officials were also notified.

A Disney spokesman said the company was assisting the family.

"Our deepest concerns are with the family," Disney spokesman Jacob DiPietre said.

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."

Theme park consultants said the ride is relatively tame.

"As roller coasters go that is not considered an ultra, ultra high-thrill coaster," said David Speigel, president of Cincinnati-based International Theme Park Services Inc. "It does have some high launch speeds, but it's more along the traditional lines of what roller coasters are today."

Disney MGM is among the Walt Disney Co.'s four parks in Florida.

Most of Disney'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 12 months 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.

Associated Press writer Kelli Kennedy in Miami contributed to this report.

On the Net:

Disneyworld

Boy Dies After Disney Roller Coaster Ride

[knarf]

"It seems like things have changed a lot in respect to safety. I'll tell you I'm not surprised that this has happened," Larry Wagner, of Louisiana, said."

Either this is something that has always happened ... or it is new.

If it's always happened, nothing to see here .. just the information highway zipping along.

If it's new ... one of two things;
The rides are really NASA test tracks and only healthy, over 21 types should embark on these journeys,
or
We are becoming a soft people.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

God Bless......

[ScaniaBoy]

Considering how many people ride on these roller coasters....

We had a spate of sudden deaths among 10 to 12 year olds playing soccer or taking part in school athletics activities last year in Sweden. It caused a lot of alarm, but after a thorough review it was found that this was not out of othe ordinary - a bunching of cases, but seen over a longer time preiod, still within what one (unfortunately) can expect due to undiagnosed infections (peri- or myocarditis) or cardiac malformations.

My guess is that this is the same phenomenon here. Healthy people, and even not so healthy, will be able to handle a 2g acceleration in the head-to-foot direction (it will actually reduce the blood pressure in the brain). Accelerations in the opposite direction are harder to handle (red outs instead of grey or black outs), but the very short time periods that one is exposed to the physical stresses precludes any major physiological problems.

However, there is always the possibility that the mental stress preparing for the ride, and during the ride will cause people with cardiovascular medical conditions to overload their slim reserves.

[bd476]

Orlando Sentinel

Boy dies after riding Disney World roller coaster

12-year-old from Kentucky dies after riding Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disney-MGM Studios.

Henry Pierson Curtis and Scott Powers
Sentinel Staff Writers

June 29, 2006, 10:44 PM EDT

ORLANDO -- 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.

< Snip >

Paramedics stationed at the park arrived about three minutes after the 911 call first came in and took over, according to Bo Jones, Deputy Chief of Reedy Creek Fire Rescue.

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. (Paramedics earlier indicated it took about six minutes for them to arrive.)

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

The boy was transported to Celebration Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Portable defibrillators, called automatic external defibrillators, determine if a heart is quivering without pumping blood and will automatically shock it to try to restore a normal beating pattern. The procedure is not always successful.

The availability of portable defibrillators … became an issue earlier this month when a wrongful death lawsuit was filed by the parents of a child who died last year after riding Mission: Space at Epcot.

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is the second-fastest ride at Disney, topping out at 57 miles per hour. It … features a high-acceleration launch that reaches maximum speed in 2.8 seconds, a rollover and a corkscrew turn…

< Snip >

At its peak it produces a pressure on the body that is 5 times that of gravity, a rate considered high but not unusual for roller coasters.

< Snip >

"Five Gs, depending on the length [duration] of those Gs, is pretty tough," said Martin, a Virginia ride safety inspector..."

Continuing: Boy dies after riding Disney World roller coaster

[Jeff Chandler]

Disney has always held the highest safety standards for their rides. It's not their fault. Well, except perhaps the Pluto incident. (Is there a video of that?)

[knarf]

Speaking of the information highway just zipping along ... thanx, ScaniaBoy.

That was half-way around the globe in about 16 minutes.

8 to send and 8 to receive.

[RunningWolf]

As a youngster I had a similar experience.

Actually the ride was probably worse than this one because it also spun with axially with violent changes in rotational directions in addition to the other directional G forces.

If the G forces/inertia etc., can all coincide to stop your breathing long enough for you to go unconscious, it could be all over for you.

I was in the ride with my Dad & he was not aware of my crisis. And at 12 years old somehow I was able to supply enough counter force into my side of the control inputs that dampened the modulations of his inputs. Yes I fought for my life. I was never so happy & exhausted to get out of that machine.

However that aside, I do not agree with your either or conclusion (based on personal experience).

Wolf

[LibertarianInExile]

"It seems like things have changed a lot in respect to safety. I'll tell you I'm not surprised that this has happened," Larry Wagner, of Louisiana, said...Eugena Pruitt, of Virginia, said three deaths in one year was higher than average. "They should inspect and find out what is causing the deaths," Pruitt said."

F'in sheeple. You can never go wrong underestimating the intelligence of the average American. This is why Democrats think it's all about their messenger. I already have money on this kid having a problem before he got on that ride.

[RunningWolf]

That would have been circa '64 to '66 approx

Wolf

[bd476]

Knarf wrote: "Either this is something that has always happened ... or it is new.
If it's always happened, nothing to see here .. just the information highway zipping along.
If it's new ... one of two things;
The rides are really NASA test tracks and only healthy, over 21 types should embark on these journeys,
or
We are becoming a soft people."


Perhaps you're right that we're becoming a soft people when someone can't survive a 5 G acceleration on a one minute 22 second ride.

Or maybe the 7 minute 3 second time lapse from the time the boy's Dad began CPR until the time paramedics began using the defibrillator indicates the weakness. /s

[knarf]

Or .. they are indeed, NASA test tracks.

OK .. off to work.

[bd476]

Lol, okay.

[bd476]

I don't know anything about the sensation of 2G or even 5G acceleration. Do you know if 5G is standard for roller coasters?

[bd476]

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith Attraction

Strap yourself in for the ultimate road trip. This intense roller coaster ride zooms you on a lightning-fast limo through the hi-amp world of rock music. You'll go from 0 to 60 mph in less than three seconds through twists and turns - even upside down - all set to the driving beat of the music of the famous American rock band Aerosmith.

Category: Thrills

Height Requirements: 48 in. minimum

Additional Information: Guests should be in good health and free from motion sickness, back or neck problems, heart problems, and other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not ride. This attraction is transfer accessible.

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith Attraction

[Pajamajan]

Terribly sad. Prayers for the family.

[semaj]

We're dying from over-eating, over-drinking, and now over-entertainment. All things in moderation.

[Eye of Unk]

I heard a rumor on a Disney forums website that the family was actually riding the Mission Space ride earlier.

I could not possibly live right if I was to lose my only son who is also 12, my heart goes out deeply for the family on this, never at a Disney park it should happen.

[bd476]

Yes, indeed. Prayers extended for the family.

[bd476]

Moderation is a good point, but I'm not sure that a family spending a fun day at an amusement park is too much. The boy's Dad is a Green Beret soldier and he probably cherishes the time he spent walking around with his wife and kids.