Stetson student Austin Wuennenberg dies in Disney monorail accident

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By Pat Hatfield
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Jul 10, 2009 - 4:27:38pm

Death, especially an unexpected one, is never easy.

The Stetson University and DeLand communities are coming to grips with the death of one of their own, 21-year-old Austin Wuennenberg. He was a computer-science major at Stetson, about to begin his senior year.

Austin died in a monorail accident at Walt Disney World in Kissimmee July 5, where he was working as a monorail driver.

Stetson Chaplain Michael Fronk has spoken with Austin’s family, to share the university’s love and support. Austin’s mother, Christine, lives in Kissimmee, and Austin grew up there.

Austin had a connection to Stetson University his whole life. His father, Terry, was an assistant basketball coach there in the late 1980s.

A Stetson media guide from the 1988-89 school year told of Terry’s expertise with players on the court and his recruitment acumen off the court.

The article states he and Christine “became parents of their first child during the off-season when Austin Wuennenberg became the newest member of the Hatter family.”

Terry died a few years later, a family friend confirmed. Austin was the Wuennenbergs’ only child.

Stetson classmate Ryan Rogers took a class with Austin in spring 2008.

“Austin was a very nice person, easy to talk to,” Rogers said.

Rogers described Austin as smart, and one step ahead of his teachers, who considered Austin one of the brightest students in the demanding computer-science curriculum.

Math and Computer Science Chairwoman Lisa Coulter agreed with that assessment.

The department is small, and is a tightknit group, she said. “There are not a lot of people who end up being computer-science majors.”

Students and faculty get to know each other well. Students are constantly in the labs, programming and working on projects.

Coulter said Austin was “a good kid, a hard worker who helped other students out.”

He was smart, and was the one who would ask really interesting questions in class.

Coulter was shocked and grieved to hear of Austin’s death, she said.

She understood Austin had been working at Disney for several years, on weekends during the school year, as well as during the summer.

According to a statement from Stetson University, Austin loved comedy and video games. He was a talented mellophone player and did “amazing” work with robots.

Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said, “Our hearts go out to Austin’s family. This is a very sad time for us.”

Suarez said Austin was a valued cast member, and all the Disney cast members are feeling the loss.

The monorail has reopened, she said, with added verification of track switches and additional safety procedures and protocols.

The National Transportation Safety Board is continuing an investigation into the cause of the collision, Suarez said.

A flood of remembrances from Stetson and Disney friends have been pouring onto a Facebook page about Austin. Go online to www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=100203833438.

No memorial service has been scheduled yet at Stetson, where staff and students are between summer and fall sessions.

“The faculty, staff and students mourn the loss of Austin,” Stetson Vice President for Enrollment Management and Campus Life Deborah Thompson said. “Austin’s family is in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time.”

A family memorial service was celebrated in Kissimmee July 8.

— pat@beacononlinenews.com

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