Tragic Report: Man Dies After Riding Disney World’s PeopleMover

Update: 2:02 pm ET
Published: 10/18/22 12:20 pm ET

An 83-year-old man–whose name has been omitted from this report since its original publication out of respect for his family–was enjoying a day at the Walt Disney World Resort with his wife when he passed away of natural causes.

According to the Orange County Sherrif’s Report, the octogenarian from Palm Coast reportedly passed out while riding one of the most calming and thrill-absent rides available: the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. 

“She began to panic,” the sheriff’s report said. “She began asking for help and attempted to contact family members who were at the park. As the ride came to its end, Disney staff and security responded to the scene where CPR was initiated.”

What she already knew was that her husband had already been diagnosed with a long list of medical conditions, including diabetes and hypertension, and previously had a pacemaker implanted in his heart. He was rushed to Celebration Hospital, and medical staff worked to save him for 30 minutes. But they were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at 5:04 pm on September 25. According to a doctor, the man “had a large blockage of an artery, near the right side of his heart.” The Sheriff’s report notes that his death was “deemed natural given the aforementioned circumstances,” and, according to FloridaPolitics.com, the District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office did not conduct an autopsy.

An obituary describes the deceased as a hard-working devoutly-Catholic man who spent his life as a foreman for a state lighting company and a servicemember of the Army National Guard at Camp Smith Military Base. He was married for nearly 50 years and enjoyed his visits to Disney World.

The Walt Disney World Resort is a popular destination for people of all ages and backgrounds who are spread across a vast spectrum of health and knowingly take the risk to leave the World of Today and enjoy The World of Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Fantasy. With the help of on-property institutions like Disney World Security and the Reedy Creek Fire Department, the Cast Members at Disney World work very closely with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to create the safest possible environment for their Guests and create the best possible response capabilities when something eventually goes wrong.

Related: List: Recent Ride-Related Injuries at Disney World

Our thoughts and prayers are with the man’s family as they continue to mourn the loss of their loved one.

We at Disney Fanatic will continue to update our readers on Disney Parks news and stories as more developments come to light.