Six Flags roller coaster brain surgery explained: How two women ended up needing emergency treatment

A popular roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain has been shut down after two women suffered severe brain hemorrhages within days of riding the attraction, prompting a state safety investigation and renewed scrutiny of the coaster's history of serious injury complaints.

The X2 roller coaster at the California theme park was closed on July 12, 2026, after the back-to-back medical emergencies involving two riders. According to an investigation cited by Hindustan Times and reported by CNN, both women required emergency brain surgery after developing life-threatening internal bleeding.

California safety regulators are now examining the attraction as questions mount over whether the coaster's extreme movements and forces could pose a greater risk to riders than previously understood.

Two riders rushed into emergency brain surgery

The two incidents occurred within a six-day period in July.

Pamela Guillen, 40, and Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, 25, both reportedly suffered severe brain hemorrhages shortly after riding X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California.

Both women were diagnosed with subdural hematomas, a serious form of bleeding that can create dangerous pressure on the brain.

In Guillen's case, the injuries were so severe that surgeons reportedly had to temporarily remove part of her skull to relieve pressure caused by the bleeding.

The unusual timing of the two medical emergencies, occurring days apart and involving the same attraction, led to the roller coaster being taken out of service.

X2 remains closed while California regulators, including Cal/OSHA, continue their inspection, according to the report.

Why X2 is unlike a traditional roller coaster

X2 is one of the most extreme rides at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

The attraction is classified as a fourth-dimensional, or 4D, roller coaster, meaning riders are not simply carried along a fixed track. The seats themselves can rotate independently, creating additional movements as the coaster accelerates, drops and changes direction.

The ride combines rotating seats, near-vertical drops and speeds approaching 80 mph, exposing riders to rapid changes in acceleration and direction.

According to the medical findings described in the CNN investigation, neurosurgeons who treated the two women concluded that the injuries were linked to violent acceleration and deceleration forces experienced during the ride.

The rapid multi-directional movements allegedly caused the riders' heads to repeatedly strike the headrests, resulting in traumatic brain injuries and internal bleeding.

Experts raise concerns about rotational forces

Roller coaster-related traumatic brain injuries are considered uncommon, but experts say the risks associated with individual attractions can vary significantly depending on their design and the forces generated during a ride.

Dr. Lyndia Wu, a mechanical engineering professor who specialises in brain biomechanics, told investigators that rides involving complex rotational movements can create unique forces on the head and neck.

The cases involving X2 have raised fresh questions about whether high-intensity attractions should undergo additional examination when serious injuries occur, particularly where rotational and repeated impact forces are involved.

The ongoing investigation is expected to examine the coaster's mechanical operation, safety systems and whether any aspect of the ride could have contributed to the recent medical emergencies.

X2 has faced dozens of head and neck injury complaints

The latest incidents are not the first time X2 has faced questions over rider safety.

Internal records and legal filings reviewed as part of the investigation reportedly showed that Six Flags had received at least 70 complaints involving head and neck injuries connected to X2 during the three years leading up to 2022.

The attraction has also been linked to previous lawsuits involving riders who alleged that they suffered serious neurological injuries after riding the coaster.

Several former riders have claimed lasting cognitive problems, seizures and subdural hematomas following their experiences on X2.

The reports and legal claims do not necessarily establish that every injury was directly caused by the ride. However, the history has added to the scrutiny now surrounding the attraction following the two July 2026 emergencies.

Two previous deaths linked to the attraction

The ride has also been associated with two previous fatalities.

Christopher Hawley, 22, died in June 2022 after reportedly suffering blunt head trauma and brain swelling following a ride on X2. Investigative findings and legal records cited in the report described violent head impacts during abrupt movements or stops.

In 2010, 28-year-old Hilda Farias died after a pre-existing brain abnormality reportedly ruptured following exposure to the ride's intense forces.

Those cases are now part of the broader history being revisited as regulators examine the attraction following the latest medical emergencies.

Six Flags maintains its rides meet safety standards

Six Flags has maintained that its attractions comply with established industry engineering and safety requirements.

The company has also pointed to warning signs and rider safety information provided before guests board its attractions.

Beyond confirming that X2 remains closed during the state inspection, Six Flags has not provided detailed public information about the two recent medical emergencies or the findings being examined by regulators, according to the report.

What happens next for the Six Flags X2 roller coaster?

The future of X2 will depend in part on the outcome of the ongoing safety review.

Investigators will likely face difficult questions about whether the two recent brain hemorrhages were extraordinary coincidences, whether the ride's forces played a direct role, or whether changes to its operation and safety measures are required.

For now, one of Six Flags Magic Mountain's most famous and extreme roller coasters remains silent.

The shutdown comes after years of injury complaints and past litigation, but the two severe brain injuries reported within a matter of days have given the case new urgency — and placed X2's safety record under intense scrutiny.