Reliable french newspaper Libération revealed this morning that a twelve years old boy from Argentina who have ride Tower of Terror on November 23 is now in extremely bad condition at Paris Necker Hospital, the two legs and arms paralyzed.
He was with his mother and father - who is a doctor - at DLP Walt Disney Studios that Nov 23 when, after riding the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, he began to don't feel well after a few steps out of the elevator. His father sent him instantly to WDS infirmary and DLP doctor, after a few minutes, decided to call the SAMU (french urgency ambulance) to transport the child at Necker hospital in Paris.
When they arrived at Necker neurology department the doctors noticed that his arms are paralyzed. Since then, everything got worse as his legs also became paralyzed, he began to had difficulties to breathe, even did a respiratory stop, and since then was transferred in reanimation unit. Hopes that he recover seems to be extremely low. Radiological exams revealed "a bone and medullary contusion" and, according to Libération article, the doctors are almost sure that there is a link with the TOT ride.
Before this happened the young boy, named Bautista, was according to his family in very good health and in his country playing rugby, basket and even martial arts. DLP confirmed that the young boy came at the park infirmary and was sent to Necker Hospital. Although it's hard to understand how someone can become paralyzed after a ride at Tower of Terror, it seems that young children still growing up might be more fragile as their bones and nerves are not as strong as when you're an adult.
Update: According to a comment from a D&M reader from Argentina it seems that the young boy went to Crush Coaster after the TOT ride, and also went to the infirmary walking. It is also said that the boy might have had a previous and unnoticed bad condition that got worse with the ride(s). Which, i must say, could be possible, specially if this 12 years old boy is regularly playing rugby or martial arts... (end of update)
This is the third serious incident that happened at DLP this year - after the two BTM accidents - and this one obviously can't involve a maintenance problem. It is truly dramatic as a twelve years old child who was dreaming to go at Disneyland saw his dream becoming a nightmare and all my thoughts are with his family, hoping that he will finally recover and find back the use of his arms and legs.
Below, the full Libération article, in french, for my french readers, or anyone reading french.
Un enfant en réanimation : malaise à Eurodisney
Par ERIC FAVEREAU
«On ne nous a rien signalé», répète-t-on à la préfecture de Seine-et-Marne. Aux Hôpitaux de Paris : «Aucun commentaire». A Eurodisney, jusqu'à ce matin, c'était le même étonnement : «Non, on n'est au courant de rien.» Et presque menaçant : «Si la préfecture n'a eu aucune notification d'incident, vous devriez faire attention avant d'écrire quelque chose.»
Il a donc fallu qu'hier la mère du jeune Bautista Riera, 12 ans et argentin, parle à la presse de son pays pour qu'enfin la chape de plomb sur l'histoire de son garçon soit levée.
Allées et venues de l'ascenseur
Après une attraction à Eurodisney, le 23 novembre, cet enfant a bien été transféré à l'hôpital Necker, à Paris. Contusion médullaire très forte, a dit l'IRM. Depuis, il est en réanimation, paralysé des quatre membres, sous respirateur, avec des espoirs de rétablissement limité. «Les parcs d'attraction peuvent ne pas être anodins», lâche, très diplomatiquement, un médecin de Necker. Mais il refuse d'en dire plus.
C'était donc le 23 novembre. Bautista, qui vit avec sa mère et ses deux frères en Argentine, voyage à Paris avec son père, qui est médecin. Et la famille rêve d'aller à Eurodisney. Ce qu'ils font ce jour-là.
Selon la famille de Bautista, ils vont dans «la maison de la terreur», une attraction qui repose sur les allées et venues d'un ascenseur qui monte et freine très vite aux différents étages. En sortant de l'attraction, l'enfant est ravi, mais après quelques pas, il se sent mal. Le père le conduit aussitôt à l'infirmerie. Le médecin de garde, peu après, appelle le Samu pour le transporter à Necker.
Pronostic «très incertain»
Tout cela est confirmé par Eurodisney. «Après ? C'est une question de secret médical, nous n'avons pas à nous immisser», insiste Eurodisney. Certes, mais ce responsable de la communication ajoute : «Nous avons vérifié tout le déroulé des attractions ce jour-là. Il n'y a aucun incident.»
En tous cas, quand l'enfant arrive à Necker, en neurologie, les médecins notent une paralysie des membre supérieurs. Puis la situation clinique s'aggrave, la paralysie devient générale, l'enfant a du mal à respirer, fait même un arrêt respiratoire, il est transféré en réanimation.
Un examen radiologique a noté très clairement une contusion médullaire et osseuse. Et pour Necker, s'il n'y a pas de certitude, le lien avec l'attraction est l'hypothèse la plus claire. D'autant que l'enfant, aux dires de sa famille, était en pleine forme : «Bautista es un garçon très sain, en très bonne santé, il joue au rugby, au basket, et pratique même à un sport de combat», raconte son oncle.
Le pronostic ? «Très incertain», selon des spécialistes interrogés. Il semblerait qu'un léger mieux ait été perceptible, ce matin, toujours selon l'oncle de l'enfant, interrogé par la presse argentine.
Aux hôpitaux de Paris, on ne fait toujours aucun commentaire. A la préfecture, on se dit surpris de ne pas avoir été tenu au courant. «Mais les prévenir de quoi, explique ce responsable d'Eurodisney. Nous n'avons, depuis, aucune information.»
Text: copyright Libération
Picture: copyright Disneyland Paris
I am from Argentina, What is being told here, is that after the tower, the boy went to Nemo´s ride, the one that you ride a turtle, or something. However, Disney said the boy went to the infirmary WALKING. Some ppl says that the boy has a previous condition that was aggravated with the ride.
ReplyDeleteI feel really sad for this boy and his family...
ReplyDeleteHowever, I find it odd that such a severe condition would appear because of the TOT attraction.
I mean, I such as millions of people, have done it multiple times and I have to admit that it isn"t the roughest ride in the park. I would understand that it might cause heart attacks or those kind of damages but for it to harm the spinal-cord...
I am not a doctor and this is my personal point of view but I would mostly think that this boy had a previous condition, maybe unnoticed, that got worse because of his day spent riding attractions in the park...
Anyway, this is just horrible and so dramatic ! I hope things are going to light up for him.
I agree with SP, millions of people ride TOT every year and I've already seen many young children riding it, and they all get out of the attraction well and don't have any problems afterwards. For sure this child had some problem before that was probably aggravated by the rides. It's very sad and I hope that the boy recovers, but that is the kind of thing that may happen, to one in 100 million, but eventually does, that's life...
ReplyDeleteIf it did not happen at DLP, it would probably have happened at any other place, no one is to blame in this case.
I am a Neurosurgeon and it is hard to explain any causal relationship between ToT and a quadraparesis. Given the breathing difficulties it suggests this is upper cervical or brain stem in origin. There is no way that any physical trauma from this attraction would cause this. A pre-existing arteriovenous malformation or subarachnoid bleed would be possible but highly unusual. Elevated blood pressure would have made these more likely to show themselves. The story is rather odd however. My thoughts are with the child and his family. The relevance of the location is, I suspect, minimal.
ReplyDelete