Holmes vs. SeaWorld - Nick's Story
For all of us with diabetes, we all had that moment when we just knew that doing some things was going to be just a bit more complicated. Rafting trips, air travel, sports and even going to amusement parks. As adults, we are able to make even the most complicated adjustments on the fly because we know ourselves so well. If you have a 3 year old with diabetes, things tend to get a little more sticky.
My daughter, Emma, was diagnosed with type 1 at the tender age of 9 months old and has never known a birthday without diabetes. She is on a Minimed insulin pump and CGMS. Now that she is getting a little bigger, we are trying more and more things such as pre-school and even trips to places like SeaWorld in San Antonio. We thought it would be fun for our family (me, my wife and diabetes-saint Amy who now counts a father, aunt, husband, AND daughter with type 1, our son Brenden, and of course Emma) to take a little jaunt to San Antonio and take the kids to SeaWorld over the Labor Day Weekend. We were prepared for any type of diabetes-related crises with a tractor-trailer full of spare insulin, pump supplies, glucagon, glucose gel and little boxes of juice. We were prepared for everything but what we ended up getting: cold indifference to Emma's special needs from the minute we arrived.
The story is really best told by my wife (Emmasmom) at Children with Diabetes, but here's the gist of it. After paying admission, we went straight to the guest services window to ask for a couple of simple requests that would make our little girl's experience at the park more relaxing for us and more fun for her. We asked that she be given a pass to the front of the lines (Texas heat is NOT good for little ones on insulin pumps), to be allowed to tag her stroller as a wheelchair (so that she can avoid walking and thus dropping her blood sugar as much as possible) and that we be allowed to take her supplies with us to each ride to leave with the operator. Stonewalled. On all counts. The supervisor very rudely informed us that there are no exceptions to their stroller policy, that there was no such pass, and that carrying supplies with us to the rides would also not be allowed. Period. End of story. "Is there someone else we can talk to?" Nope. She was the Queen and Dictator of SeaWorld San Antonio and her word was final...or so she said. I politely informed her that she was violating federal law, and she sharply replied, "Why because I can't help you??" Yes. That's exactly why. And oh, by the way, employees at SeaWorld put a little two-word ditty beneath their names like "Plays piano" or "Math Whiz." Our guest services' ditty? "Helps Kids."
"So can we put our insulin in a fridge in the first aid station?"
"I don't know, it's up to them."
At this point we're getting pissed, and Amy wanted to scratch her eyes out. But sanity prevailed and we just moved on to the bag check where all the straws on Emma's juice boxes (the ones we use to raise her BG) we confiscated for the safety of the animals. And our day there didn't get any better. One ride operator, when told that we couldn't leave her supplies in the stroller while we rode a ride because her life is in that bag - and I swear this is true- actually laughed at us.
If a picture says a thousand words, the picture in Amy's narrative says it all. This was an emergency site change in the filthiest restaurant you've ever seen, and it more or less summarizes not only our debacle at SeaWorld, but our lives as well.
When we returned home, we agreed that we were not going to take this sitting down. I immediately crafted a letter to the Department of Justice formally charging SeaWorld with violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and sent a copy to SeaWorld. Amy posted our experience at www.childrenwithdiabetes.com. As one of the more senior members there, when she speaks, people tend to listen, and we all support each other through the ups and downs of having a child with diabetes. And boy did they support us. After just two weeks, her post, and the two related threads have well over 8000 hits and nearly 200 replies. Not only did they reply, they acted and they blogged. They inundated SeaWorld with letters and emails threatening to never return to SeaWorld.
Shamu had problems. Just a few days ago, Fran Stephenson, director of communications replied (on page 7 of the original post) with what amounted to corporate damage-control. In that post, Fran asked that I call her personally, which I did. I recounted the story and agreed to craft a post on children with diabetes.
We were also offered a free trip to SeaWorld with hotel accommodations, tickets, and meals all covered. I told Fran that I appreciated their efforts, but that I was not going to drop our formal complaint with the Department of Justice. To do so would be cowardly and would undermine the efforts of all those who stood up for us. In addition, after doing some research, we learned that a big conference, the Friends for Life Conference hosted by Children with Diabetes that takes place annually in Orlando, cancelled all events at SeaWorld there after experiencing similar difficulties. SeaWorld needs to learn its lesson, and the only language corporate America understands is the kind that costs them money. Big money.
We are the last family you would expect to bring such a case against a corporate entity; however the strength and unity we have found in the diabetes community has empowered us to take up the fight for the rights of diabetics everywhere. While we appreciate the effort that SeaWorld is putting into the problem, I have resolved myself to make this case our Plessy v. Ferguson if you will.
Many thanks to Kerri for allowing me to tell our story here. I will keep you all involved in what is going on and where these events take us. If you like, you are welcome to share your comments with me at nickdholmes at yahoo dot com or Fran Stephenson at fran dot stephenson at seaworld dot com.
Comments
This a truly horrific tale. I'm so angry for you all at the way you were treated at every step, from the blanket refusal to acknowledge diabetes as a special need, to actually being laughed at. It's disgraceful. SeaWorld and the individuals concerned ought to be very, very ashamed of themselves.
The last time I went to SeaWorld was in Florida, 18 years ago. I was only nine, but I don't recall anything like this. My meter was the size of a small brick, yet we had no problem toting that with us. Things seem to have gone very down hill since I grew up.
I'm glad that you have the courage, strength and determination to take this forwards, not only for Emma's sake, but for the sake of every family living with diabetes who, gasp, wants to do the same thing as every other family.
Posted by: Caro | September 17, 2007 06:49 PM
Your treatment by SeaWorld was ludicrous! I hope they get the book thrown at them. Good for your and your family!
Growing up with Type 1, I found myself at many places where I had "special needs" situations, but I never had trouble at any of them, from a small amusement park near my hometown in PA, to the larger Dorney Park (Allentown, PA), to the infamous Hershey Park!
Yes, diabetics go to Hershey Park...you ride the rides and save the candy for the lows. ;)
If you're going to have a business that caters to kids, you have to cater to ALL kids. Let's hope SeaWorld learns their lesson.
Posted by: Hannah | September 17, 2007 06:55 PM
Thank you for letting us know about SeaWorld and it's horrific treatment of people with diabetes. I assume the same is probably true for others with chronic illnesses. I'll keep it on my list of things NOT to see while in Florida.
Posted by: Bernard Farrell | September 19, 2007 04:44 PM
SeaWorld hires sadistic Control Freaks who obviously could "care less" about anyone who they are there to serve.
Bad Attitude travels from the top downward. So, the lousy interchange you and your Family had with that worker also exists at the Administrative level as well.
Good for you, that you did not fall for the "bribe ploy" that Seaworld initiated. You show Integrity.
My fantasy now would be that all the Sea Animals are returned to where they came from (Sea and Ocean) and that SeaWorld no longer exists.
I know you will be victorious in achieving Justice for your lousy experience at SeaWorld.
I will never go there nor will I ever recommend it to anyone.
Posted by: BetterCell | September 20, 2007 03:25 AM
Why not first write a friendly letter to the corporate headquarters of Seaworld? Lawyers, complaints, charges -- they are not a useful attempt at resolving a difficulty.
Cheers,
Felix.
Posted by: Felix Kasza | September 22, 2007 04:50 AM
Felix doesn't get it. The employees at Seaworld have done this before AND have gotten away with it. A friendly letter would have resulted in exactly the same bribe offer that the family refused. Which might have been nice for them to enjoy, but would not have solved the problem for future clients. Unfortunately money seems to be the only thing that merits action or is felt as a true consequence. I *wish* it could be that way, too Felix. But the truth is that it's not.
Posted by: Rae | September 23, 2007 08:06 AM
Felix,
Thanks for your input. The problem is that SeaWorld is demonstrating a pattern of ignoring the needs of children with diabetes. As noted in the post, a major childhood diabetes conference was cancelled after previous, and eerily similar, problems at SeaWorld in Orlando.
Posted by: Nick | September 25, 2007 02:27 AM
Everyone always has a complaint but everyone always yells instead of taking point of what really matters. U might not post this but everyone wants special treatment but for safe reasons people just want to enjoy park with out being safe which then results in a major problem that makes the person even madder. they were wrong for yelling but not for keeping you safe. You go some where rules have to be followed just like at your home. If someone had a bag filled with drugs (not Prescribed) and they said they needed to put it in your ice box cuz it was there life would you let them???? Think be 4 getting people in trouble cause believe me just cause you and a few groups won't be going to sea world, Trust millions still do. Probley even the people who said they were not a millon times.
Posted by: everyone complaint | November 6, 2007 06:02 AM