Slight Improvement Reported for Disneyland Accident Victim

Brandon Zucker, the 4-year-old boy critically injured on a Disneyland ride, showed signs of improvement Monday, his doctor said.

Marianne Cinat, Brandon’s trauma surgeon at UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, said that over the weekend, she eased slightly the strong muscle relaxants that had kept him immobile, and Brandon responded by moving his arms and legs voluntarily.

“It doesn’t say anything 100% for sure, but it’s a good sign that he’s moving on his own. . . . He’s definitely shown signs of improvement,” Cinat said. “He does respond when we touch him or if we need to start an IV. . . . He’s very sensitive to it.”

In addition, some of the swelling in Brandon’s brain and body has decreased, Cinat said.

Nonetheless, Brandon remains in critical condition in a drug-induced coma and hooked to a ventilator to help him breathe. Brandon, from Canyon Country, was injured Sept. 22 while riding the Roger Rabbit Car Toon Spin at Disneyland.

Brandon was seated closest to the cutout doorway in a “taxicab” with his mother, Victoria Zucker, and 6-year-old brother, Nicholas. His father, David Zucker, and a grandparent were in a car behind them.

Somehow, Brandon fell from the ride and was trapped beneath a heavy cab for several minutes before he could be freed.

Officials from the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health, the primary agency investigating the Disneyland accident, said Monday that they still don’t know what went wrong.

Park guests who tried to aid the 45-pound boy said he was folded under the ride, head to knees. When Anaheim paramedics arrived, he had no pulse, though a Disneyland nurse was performing CPR.

By the time Brandon arrived at the hospital, however, he had a very weak pulse. Doctors still don’t know how long Brandon went without oxygen or whether he suffered brain damage.

His liver, spleen and diaphragm were torn, and he suffered a fractured pelvis and a collapsed lung. His condition was so severe that hospital officials have been very cautious about his prognosis.

Even now, Cinat said she is not sure whether Brandon will wake up or if he will be the same boy he was.

He remains sedated on painkillers and other drugs, so it is too soon to run neurological tests.

“We just continue to wait and slowly try to remove the support and sedation as we can,” Cinat said. “We’ve jumped a lot of hurdles since he’s gotten here. There’s several more to get over.”

Cinat has said that Brandon is a fighter and that children often are more resilient than adults. Already, Brandon has survived two surgeries and has been weaned off some blood pressure medication.

Cinat said Brandon’s parents are maintaining their hospital vigil. The Zuckers have asked the public to continue praying for him.

“They’re pleased with every positive report we can give them,” Cinat said. “We’ll take every bit of progress we can as each day goes on.”

Friends have established a fund to assist the Zucker family with expenses. Donations can be made at any Washington Mutual branch or mailed to: Washington Mutual, Attn: Family of Brandon Zucker, 910 S. Brookhurst St., Anaheim, CA 92804. Checks should be made payable to “The Family of Brandon Zucker” and refer to account number 383 307 457-3.