British father died on family trip to Disney World in Florida after ingesting fentanyl, inquest told

A British father has died during a family trip to Disney World in Florida after taking the synthetic opioid fentanyl, an inquest has found.

Philip Weybourne, from West Malling in Kent, was on holiday in the United States with his wife and young son in May 2022 when he suddenly fell ill.

The 40-year-old, who was a director of an international IT company, collapsed and died after visiting a bar at the Yacht Club hotel in Epcot.

An inquest into his death at Maidstone County Hall heard that while he was rushed to hospital his condition deteriorated rapidly and he could not be saved.

A blood test after his death revealed that he had lethal levels of fentanyl in his system – a powerful synthetic opioid similar to morphine that needs only two milligrams to be potentially fatal.

The drug, which killed pop star Prince, is said to have been responsible for the deaths of nearly a million people in the United States since 1999.

According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration, “Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our country has ever encountered. No community is safe from this poison.’

In a statement read at the hearing, his wife, Dorlyn Weybourne, said: “We began our vacation at Disneyland, in Orlando, Florida, on May 20, 2022.

“On May 23, we woke up late and had no theme parks that day.

‘It was just going to be a relaxing day, we booked a meal at the Boat House, a seafood restaurant in Disney Springs that also hosts tours in vintage amphibious cars.

“My son and I were shopping and met Philip at the Boat House at 1pm.”

Her statement continued: ‘We had the best lunch, we drank champagne like we did when we lived in Dubai.

“Then we went on an amphibious driving tour and to end our day we went back to the hotel around 5.30pm.”

Ms. Weybourne explained that her husband, the Middle East director of Excis Compliance Limited, a global IT support company, wanted to keep drinking and only went to the Yacht Club hotel on Epcot Resorts Boulevard.

After he showered he went to the bar.

Two hours later, Mrs. Weybourne heard a knock on her hotel room door and was told that her husband had been taken to hospital in an ambulance.

Mrs Weybourne said, “I asked them if it was heat stroke or a heart attack.”

He was taken to AdventHealth Celebration, a small care hospital in Celebration, Florida, where the patients are often tourists visiting Disney World.

Ms Weybourne added: ‘When I got to the hospital I didn’t see my husband. I just remember the doctor telling me his time of death, 8:06 PM.”

The doctors told Mrs Weybourne that her husband had died of cardiac arrest.

After the autopsy, it was revealed that he had fatal levels of fentanyl in his system.

Assistant Coroner Catherine Wood said: ‘This must have been very difficult and distressing for Mr Weybourne’s family.

‘I do not know the circumstances which led to his death, as Mr Weybourne died in another country.

“He had no underlying health problems and I am satisfied, following the autopsy findings, that his death was caused by lethal levels of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid used as a pain reliever.

“I send my sincere condolences to Mr Weybourne’s family.

“It must have been a great shock and not something you had to relive at the inquest.

“I hope you can start rebuilding your life.”

Ms Weybourne was joined via video link by Mr Weybourne’s mother, Margaret, and his sister, Emma Wood.

They would not comment further, saying at the inquest: “We talked about Philip’s life at his funeral. It’s time for closure.’

Disney has been contacted for comment.