Man Dies From Injuries Sustained on new Worldwide Orlando Roller Coaster, Family Praises His Spirit
ORLANDO, FL – A 32-year-old man has died from blunt impact injuries sustained while riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Universal Orlando Resort’s newly opened Epic Universe park. Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was pronounced dead at a hospital on Wednesday, following the incident.
Despite the tragedy, Zavala’s family has released a tribute emphasizing his resilience and positive outlook on life.”Despite the restrictions and obstacles he encountered throughout his life,Kevin met them all with grace,strength,and an unwavering spirit,” the family stated in the online tribute released Friday. “He overcame so much, and he did so with quiet resilience and humility.” They described him as ”one of a kind.”
Zavala, a resident of Kissimmee, Florida, used a wheelchair but his family said it never diminished his spirit. The Stardust Racers coaster, which debuted in May, is described by Universal as “a breathtaking, dual-launch coaster reaching astonishing speeds up to 62 mph (100 kph).”
An autopsy conducted by Orlando Medical Examiner Joshua Stephany ruled the cause of death as multiple blunt impact injuries and classified the manner of death as an accident. Stephany’s statement on Thursday did not detail the location of the injuries.
Universal Orlando Resorts has stated they are fully cooperating with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office examination.
A fellow rider, Maria Fernandez, told Orlando television station WKMG that Zavala appeared slumped over when the ride came to a stop.
Florida law uniquely exempts its largest theme parks – including Walt Disney World and Universal – from state safety inspections. These parks conduct their own inspections and maintain internal safety protocols, but are required to report any serious injuries or deaths to the state.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services confirmed Friday that an investigator had been dispatched to Epic Universe. “Universal has been extremely cooperative and has complied with all required notifications,” said Aaron Keller, the department’s communications director, in an email.
