Disney cast member hurt stopping runaway prop at Indiana Jones show explains split-second decision
By Madilyn Destefano, Luana Munoz
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ORLANDO, Florida (WESH) — Robert Herrick, a Disney cast member at Hollywood Studios in Orlando, heroically stopped a runaway 400-pound boulder during an Indiana Jones stunt on Dec. 30, preventing potential injuries to audience members.
WESH 2 sat down with Herrick, where he explained his split-second decision to intervene.
“The only thing going through my mind is that if it came up over the set, and I knew it would, that it can not hit the audience,” Herrick said.
The boulder, part of the stunt attraction, came off the tracks and barreled toward the audience, knocking Herrick off his feet as he blocked it.
“I know it’s inflatable. It’s filled with air. Comments said there’s no way it weighs over 400 pounds. It absolutely does,” Herrick said.
For decades, the Indiana Jones stunt attraction has launched the boulder without issues, but on that day, the boulder launched unusually hard, propelling it toward the Mayan Temple set’s upstage wall. Herrick, noticing the unusual trajectory, quickly moved to protect the audience.
“The boulder launched that propelled it to the upstage wall of the set, the Mayan Temple set, really hard. I noticed that that was unusual,” he said.
Despite having no formal training in stopping a runaway boulder, Herrick’s familiarity with the studio allowed him to act swiftly. The impact sent him flying into a downstage wall, causing whiplash and head bleeding.
“I don’t think there was any thought of what it could potentially do to me. I don’t even think I had the thought that wow this is going to hurt. It was only if I could change the trajectory,” Herrick said.
His actions prevented what could have been a very different outcome for the children and families present. Herrick was particularly moved when a guest in the front row, who had been filming the show with his kids, could be heard on video saying, “That man saved our life.”
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