Mark Zuckerberg is sued over shock death at his $100 million property in Hawaii
MARK Zuckerberg is being sued over the death of one of his security guards, who allegedly suffered a fatal heart attack on his $100million property in Hawaii.
Rodney Medeiros, 70, died in August 2019 during one of his shifts on Zuckerberg‘s expansive 750-acre Koolau Ranch, which includes two separate parcels: the Kahu’aina Plantation and Pila’a Beach.
Medeiros, a retired sugar cane worker, was a part-time security guard on the Meta CEO’s property – where he was responsible for patrolling Pila’a Beach, a 393-acre property with a white-sand coast on Kauai’s North Shore.
The beach is located at the bottom of a steep hill of Zuckerberg’s gigantic property.
Medeiros’ daughter, Ziba, claims that her father would be driven down to his post at the start and end of his shift.
However, during his shifts on August 4, heavy rain made the path inaccessible to vehicles.
Medeiros had to climb the steep path on his own, suffering a fatal heart attack in the process, according to the lawsuit filed by his family.
“It’s a cliff. It’s steep, and they told us it drops on both sides,” Ziba told Hawaii Now News.
A fellow security guard who was worried about Medeiros went out to look for him and eventually found him leaning against a tree, clinging to his chest.
The 70-year-old was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
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The suit claims that the climb was so severe that it ripped a hole in Medeiros’ heart, and he started bleeding out.
A cardiologist report obtained by Hawaii News Now confirmed that “the physical stress of climbing the hill was a substantial factor that caused the acute event”.
Ziba said her family did not learn about their father’s death until the next day.
‘CAN’T PUT A DOLLAR SIGN ON GRIEF’
The family claims a security manager for Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, approached them a week after Medeiros’ death and apologized on behalf of the wealthy couple while offering an “open” amount of money.
Ziba told the outlet that the family never gave a number, thinking they “couldn’t put a dollar sign on their grief”.
Days later, the family claims they received a check for $7,500.
“[I]t’s $7,500 for our father’s life. Is this supposed to make it OK?” Ziba said.
Zuckerberg family spokesperson Ben LaBolt told Hawaii News Now that the money was a contribution “given by Mark and Priscilla” that was supposed “to help with burial and funeral expenses.”
However, the family says their loved one’s death could’ve been avoided with a simple $1,000 upgrade of the tires on the ranch’s four-wheelers, which would’ve allowed them to operate in the heavy rain.
LaBolt shot down those claims saying there is “a training program all drivers must undergo to operate” the vehicles on the ranch.
The spokesperson for the Zuckerbergs also highlighted that the wrongful death lawsuit “was filed two years after the incident”.
He added that the security contractor who performed security duties at Koolau Ranch at the time of Mederrio’s death and employed the 70-year-old SPACA does not currently perform tasks at the property.