Kyle Mitrione, a 35-year-old former Cirque du Soleil performer, has filed a lawsuit against the entertainment company after a stunt left him paralyzed. The incident occurred during a performance of the Las Vegas ‘O’ show on June 28, 2023, where Mitrione was performing a backward diving maneuver from a floating stage called ‘The Island’.
The lawsuit alleges that the production was hurried and neglected safety protocols, directly contributing to the accident. Mitrione dove from a barge while stage lifts were in motion, leading to a water depth of less than four feet. He suffered a catastrophic injury when his head struck a lift, resulting in a spinal fracture and immediate cessation of the show. He was urgently taken to the hospital for emergency surgery.
Despite successful surgery, Mitrione’s injuries are severe and permanent, leaving him quadriplegic with additional health issues including hyponatremia, chronic deep vein thrombosis, and mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety, his legal team states.
The legal claim points out that this incident was not isolated, citing previous near misses and injuries among other performers, which had been reported to Cirque du Soleil management. The lawsuit criticizes the company for cutting costs at the expense of safety, particularly noting that prior incidents had shown the dangers of the act.
The lawsuit also highlights a lack of adequate rehearsal and synchronization issues with musical cues, which contributed to the unsafe diving conditions. Mitrione depended entirely on musical cues for timing his dive, with no other auditory or technical signals to indicate safety, the documents reveal.
Following the accident, Cirque du Soleil was fined over $30,000 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which the company is appealing. Cirque du Soleil responded to the incident by emphasizing their commitment to the health and safety of their team.
Mitrione has expressed gratitude for the widespread support he has received, which he says has brought him hope and light during a dark time. Originally from Haddonfield, New Jersey, and now residing in Los Angeles, Mitrione is a seasoned diver with past involvement in Red Bull Cliff Diving events and is a member of the USA Cliff Diving team. His wife, Karolina Melska, also performs with Cirque du Soleil as an aerialist.
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