Late last week, we shared some sad news from Walt Disney World. Social media was ablaze after the reported death of a Disney World Guest at the Contemporary Resort. Although early reports suggested that the death may have been attributed to a possible suicide, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office has ruled the death accidental and provided further updates on what actually occurred at the Contemporary Resort on the morning of July 26.
The Orange County Medical Examiner identified the fall victim as 39-year-old Jeffery Vanden Boom of Greendale, Wisconsin. Ultimately the medical examiner ruled the death accidental due to blunt force trauma that occurred at the deluxe Resort outside of Magic Kingdom. Although initial reports also suggested that the Guest had fallen from the bridge connecting Bay Lake Tower to The Contemporary Resort, it was noted that the Guest actually fell from their Resort balcony and the incident was accidental in nature.
In a statement to Fox News Digital on Friday, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said, “On July 26, 2023, at 5:33 a.m., deputies responded to the Contemporary Resort after a call came in about a man unresponsive on the hotel grounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene.”
Fox News explained that Disney had not officially responded to their attempts to comment regarding the death. Ultimately, this isn’t unlike Disney as they often allow the proper authorities to handle and speak about these types of situations at Walt Disney World. The same can be said regarding other simliar occurences that have taken place at Disney World, including an 83-year-old Florida veteran who fainted and later passed away after riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover last September. Although CPR was initiated, Joseph A. Masters would later pass away. His late wife Alice told the Orlando Sentinel, “I tell everybody now that my husband died in his happy place because he loved Disney.”
Regarding the latest death to happen at Walt Disney World, initial reports on social media claimed that the death was an apparent suicide. One Reddit user posted, “I’m pretty sure someone just died at our hotel (Contemporary Resort)… we got a call at 7:30 someone had a medical emergency and not to go on the balconies and then they had people redirecting us. Then we went outside and there’s a tent set up right under a balcony and it’s all taped up.”
This update to our initial story deeply saddens us. Despite the initial assumptions around the death, realizing and understanding that bad things can happen even at Walt Disney World is a hard pill to swallow. We hope that the family and friends of the victim find peace during this difficult time.
