A Disneyland employee died two days after suffering a head injury in a golf cart accident, as per a report in The Hollywood Reporter. The 60-year-old woman named Bonnye Mavis Lear was in the backstage area of the California theme park when the incident occurred.
Anaheim Police and Anaheim Fire and Rescue personnel arrived at the resort on Wednesday after they were informed about the accident. She was sitting as a passenger and struck her head after falling from the moving cart. The 60-year-old was then taken to a local hospital in grave condition.
The President of the Disneyland Resort Ken Potrock expressed condolences stated that the company’s priority was helping her family and coworkers. “We are heartbroken by the loss of Bonnye and offer our sincere condolences to everyone who cared for her,” he said in a statement.
“At this time, we are focused on supporting her family and our castmembers through this tragic event and making sure they have the resources they need,” Mr Potrock added.
The 60-year-old worked for 24 years at the Disneyland Resort, where she “supported membership services at Club 33,” the park’s exclusive private dining club.
Disney California Adventure Attractions cast member Rae Delgado, wrote on Facebook that Ms Lear suffered brain swelling and a fractured skull from the accident. “Bonnye was travelling on a rear-facing seat of a golf cart along with 3 passengers behind Critter Country. The driver of the vehicle was driving at least 20 mph on the route. The golf cart came in contact with a bump/dip in the road which caused Bonnye to react immediately. As she went to grab the handrail, it gave way and sent her out of the vehicle. … She was deemed unconscious when paramedics arrived.”
Despite the surgery, “it was beyond repair,” according to the employee, and Ms Lear was pronounced “brain dead” early on Thursday morning.
“It didn’t have to end this way. All of this mess could’ve been avoided if the driver of the golf cart wasn’t driving recklessly. The golf cart from the entertainment department was brand new. How the hell could it fall apart?! It’s just so unfair to us & the family,” she continued.
“Managers are telling CMs (castmembers) to not speak about the circumstances of Bonnye’s death to others. They’re asking for silence. They want it to be forgotten. Justice isn’t ultimately finding someone to blame – it’s rectifying a wrong. It’s taking responsibility. It’s finding out what went wrong. It’s fixing what’s broke,” the Facebook post stated.
