The incident unfolded at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Photo / Unsplash
The incident unfolded at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Photo / Unsplash
A viral video has captured the moment a Disney employee put his own safety on the line to protect audiences from a malfunctioning show prop.
The clip, posted to TikTok, shows the theme park worker being knocked to the ground by a giant rubber ball that was used as aprop in an Indiana Jones-themed stunt show at Walt Disney World in Florida, according to the Daily Beast.
The audience were watching a stunt that is supposed to emulate a scene from the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark when Indiana Jones outruns a large rolling boulder.
However, they were left startled when the stunt boulder became dislodged from its track and started bouncing downstage toward them.
At that moment, the staff member rushed onto the stage and charged toward the ball, which pummelled him to the floor as it descended.
The ball sprang away from impact back upstage as other employees rushed to check on their colleague, who appeared to have blood coming from his head and had to be assisted out of the theatre, the New York Daily News reported.
The audience was seen applauding his efforts, with one man heard saying, “He literally saved our lives, that guy … That guy legit saved our lives."
Social media users hailed the man‘s fearless act as the clip circulated on TikTok, Instagram and Reddit.
“Not all heroes wear capes. He saved the crowd without hesitation,” one Reddit user wrote.
“Give that guy a bonus,” a TikTok commenter wrote.
This Disney World worker was knocked to the ground by a prop boulder at an Indiana Jones attraction. Photo / Reddit
The man was later identified on X as a former stuntman named Robert, the Daily News said.
Other commenters revealed he was later hospitalised and required six stitches.
“We’re focused on supporting our cast member, who is recovering,” the park said in a statement to the Daily News.
“Safety is at the heart of what we do, and that element of the show will be modified as our safety team completes a review of what happened.”
Sign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.
