Two women, Pamela Guillen, 40, and Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, 25, sustained severe brain injuries and required emergency surgery after riding the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, in July. The incidents, which occurred within days of each other, have prompted investigations and led to the ride's closure.
Guillen, visiting the park for her daughter's 16th birthday, reportedly experienced head impacts against the headrest during the ride and lost consciousness immediately upon disembarking. Her daughter described her mother as appearing lifeless. Surgeons performed a craniotomy to relieve pressure on Guillen's brain, and she underwent rehabilitation to relearn basic functions like walking and talking. She continues to experience daily headaches and fatigue.
Six days after Guillen's incident, Greer-Wilkinson also collapsed after riding the X2. Doctors diagnosed a brain hemorrhage and performed emergency surgery. Her mother reported that a surgeon expressed frustration, questioning the ride's continued operation. Greer-Wilkinson remains in a coma and on a ventilator.
Medical professionals involved in the care of both women have stated, in an email viewed by CNN, that their severe brain injuries were likely caused by a traumatic acceleration-deceleration event experienced on the X2 ride. The roller coaster, known for speeds approaching 80 mph and seats that flip 360 degrees, is one of only three such rides in the world.
The X2 has been closed since July 12, though Six Flags has not provided a specific reason for the closure or commented on the CNN investigation. This is not the first time the ride has been associated with serious incidents. Medical records reviewed by CNN indicate over a dozen reports of injuries and hospitalizations linked to the X2 in the past two decades.
In 2022, 22-year-old Christopher Hawley died approximately ten hours after riding the X2. A coroner's report attributed his death to blunt head trauma from a park ride accident. His family reached a settlement with Magic Mountain LLC and an accord with the coaster train supplier S&S Worldwide Inc. In 2010, 28-year-old Hilda Farias died after riding the coaster; doctors believed the ride's intensity caused a pre-existing brain abnormality to rupture. Her family also settled a lawsuit.