Kevin Rodriguez Zavala Obituary, Death; – A 32-year-old man who passed away this week due to blunt impact injuries sustained while riding a roller coaster at Universal Orlando Resort’s latest park utilized a wheelchair. Nevertheless, his family stated that this never hindered his indomitable spirit.
The family of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala described him in an online post on Friday as “one of a kind.”
“In spite of the limitations and challenges he faced throughout his life, Kevin confronted them all with grace, strength, and an unyielding spirit,” his family remarked. “He triumphed over numerous adversities, and he did so with quiet resilience and humility.”
Zavala, a resident of Kissimmee, Florida, was declared dead at a hospital on Wednesday following his ride on the new Stardust Racers roller coaster, which was made available to the public in May with the launch of the Epic Universe park. The ride is characterized on the resort’s website as “a breathtaking, dual-launch coaster achieving remarkable speeds of up to 62 mph (100 kph).”
After conducting an autopsy, Joshua Stephany, the medical examiner for the Orlando region, determined that the cause of death was multiple blunt impact injuries and classified the manner of death as accidental. The statement from Stephany on Thursday did not provide any specifics regarding the injuries, including their locations on the body.
A spokesperson for Universal Orlando Resorts has indicated that the resort is collaborating with investigators from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Maria Fernandez, who claimed to have been on the roller coaster at the same time as Zavala, informed Orlando television station WKMG that he seemed to be slumped over and bleeding when the ride came to a halt.
Florida’s largest theme parks are not subject to state safety inspections, in contrast to smaller venues and fairs. Instead, major theme parks such as Walt Disney World and Universal perform their own inspections and adhere to their own protocols, although they are required to report any injuries or fatalities to the state.
The state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, however, announced on Friday that it had dispatched an investigator to Epic Universe.
“Universal has been exceptionally cooperative with the investigation.”
