Last fall 29-year-old Fabrizio Stablie contracted an extremely rare brain-eating amoeba known as Naegleria Fowleri. Stablie died from the disease, and an investigation was launched shortly after by the Centers for Disease Control to determine the source of the bug. CDC concluded in a report that the young surfer likely contracted the disease after visiting the BSR Cable Park and Surf Resort in Waco, Texas.
According to KWTX News, the team tested the waters and found samples of Naegleria fowleri, however, it was not present in the waters of the Surf Resort, Royal Flush, or Lazy River. However, the test results did find that the conditions in these waters were favorable for the deadly bacteria’s growth.
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Stablie's mother has filed a wrongful death lawsuit for $1 million against the BSR. Her suit argues that the wave pool's waters “masked a pathogen soup that allowed the amoeba to thrive.”
In response to the discovery of the amoeba and Stablie’s death, the park is installing a state-of-the-art-filtration system to keep the water crystal clear. “There are only a few of these man-made surf parks in the country today, but many more will be built. Our goal is to set the highest standard for these facilities. Going forward, BSR Surf Resort will have the cleanest water anywhere in the United States,” BSR’s owner Stuart Parson explained in a press release back in October 2018. It's also worth noting that the BSR ranch will be the training ground for the new U.S. Olympic team.
About The Author
stash member Katie Lozancich
TGR Staff Writer and photographer. Fond of bikes, pow, and dogs. Originally from Northern CA, home for me has ranged from the PNW to a teepee in Grand Teton National Park.