5 Shocking Facts About The Fabio Goose Roller Coaster Incident 25 Years Later

The "Fabio Goose" incident remains one of the most bizarre and unforgettable moments in pop culture history, a collision of high-speed amusement park thrill, iconic celebrity, and a hapless Canadian goose. As of today, December 10, 2025, the story of supermodel Fabio Lanzoni being struck in the face by a bird on the inaugural ride of a new roller coaster continues to fascinate and raise questions about the physics of fowl and famous faces.

This legendary encounter, which occurred on March 30, 1999, at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, turned a routine publicity stunt into a global headline, forever linking the Italian-American icon with the high-speed, feathered catastrophe. We dive deep into the details, the aftermath, and the lasting legacy of the one time a goose won a fight with a romance novel cover model.

Fabio Lanzoni: Biography and Profile

Known mononymously to the world as simply Fabio, Fabio Lanzoni is an Italian-American actor, fashion model, and spokesman who became a household name for his chiseled physique and long, flowing blonde hair. His image became synonymous with the romance genre, gracing the covers of thousands of books throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

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• Full Name: Fabio Lanzoni
• Known As: Fabio
• Date of Birth: March 15, 1959
• Place of Birth: Milan, Italy
• Nationality: Italian-American
• Height: 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
• Primary Career: Fashion Model, Romance Novel Cover Model, Actor, Spokesperson
• Notable Endorsements: I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Old Spice
• Estimated Net Worth (Current): Approximately $10–$16 Million
• Current Status: Continues to work in media, often reflecting on his iconic career and maintaining a strong public presence.

The Anatomy of "The Goosening": What Really Happened on Apollo's Chariot

The incident, often referred to by fans as "The Goosening," occurred during the media preview and inauguration ceremony for Busch Gardens Williamsburg's newest attraction, the Apollo's Chariot hypercoaster. Fabio, the ultimate symbol of a Greek god-like figure, was the perfect celebrity guest for a ride named after the Greek god of the sun, music, and poetry.

The Apollo's Chariot was a highly anticipated ride, notable for being one of the first "hypercoasters"—a class of roller coaster defined by its extreme height (over 200 feet) and high speed. On that fateful day, Fabio was seated in the front car for the inaugural ride, a moment captured by numerous cameras and reporters.

The roller coaster plunged down its immense first drop, reaching speeds of approximately 73 miles per hour (117 km/h). At a high-speed point of the ride, near a pond or a low-lying area, a Canadian goose, reportedly weighing around 10 pounds, collided directly with Fabio's face.

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The force of the impact was immense. The supermodel was immediately bloodied, suffering a laceration to his nose. The goose, tragically, was killed instantly in the collision. When the roller coaster returned to the station, the sight of the world's most famous model covered in blood and feathers was a shocking, surreal, and instantly viral moment—long before the age of social media.

5 Shocking Details From Fabio's Retrospective on the Incident

While the initial news reports focused on the injury and the absurdity of the event, recent interviews, particularly those surrounding the 25th anniversary in 2024, have provided fresh, candid details straight from Fabio himself, adding topical authority to the narrative.

1. He Thought It Was a Rock, Not a Goose

Fabio has repeatedly stated that in the moment of the collision, he had no idea what had hit him. The impact was so sudden and violent that he initially thought he had been struck by a piece of equipment or a rock. It wasn't until the roller coaster slowed down and he saw the blood and the bird's remains that the bizarre reality set in. He described the moment as a "miracle" that he wasn't more seriously hurt.

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2. The Incident Happened on the First Hill

Contrary to some recollections, the collision did not happen at the very bottom of the ride. Fabio recalls the roller coaster going down at around 80-85 miles per hour, "over a pond and back up." The goose was likely flying low over the water, right into the path of the speeding train as it crested one of the major hills. This specific location, near a water feature, made the presence of waterfowl a possibility the park likely hadn't fully considered.

3. The Media Thought It Was an April Fool's Joke

The timing of the incident—March 30, 1999—meant that the news broke just one day before April Fool's Day. Many media outlets and the general public initially dismissed the story as an elaborate prank or a publicity stunt engineered by Busch Gardens or Fabio's publicist. It was so unbelievable that it took days for the world to accept the reality of "The Goosening."

4. The Goose Was Reportedly a 10-Pound Canadian Goose

The bird was identified as a Canadian goose, a large waterfowl known for its size and migratory patterns. Reports estimate the goose weighed approximately 10 pounds. When you consider the physics of a 10-pound object hitting a person's face at over 70 miles per hour, the severity of the potential injury becomes clear. The fact that Fabio only sustained a cut on his nose is truly remarkable and speaks to the luck of the impact point.

5. Fabio Was Unfazed and the Coaster Was a Success

Despite the blood and the immediate medical attention he received, photographs from the aftermath show Fabio looking surprisingly calm. The incident, while traumatic, did not derail the roller coaster's launch. Apollo's Chariot opened on schedule and remains a highly popular ride at Busch Gardens Williamsburg to this day, often cited as a classic example of a "hypercoaster." The bizarre tale of the goose only cemented the ride's legendary status in amusement park lore and pop culture history.

The Lasting Legacy of the Fabio Goose Encounter

The "Fabio Goose" incident is more than just an absurd news story; it’s a cultural touchstone that marks a unique intersection of celebrity, physics, and the unpredictable nature of the wild. It instantly became a source of comedic material on late-night talk shows and a permanent fixture in "bizarre celebrity accidents" lists. The story has been discussed in depth on numerous podcasts and is often referenced in discussions about high-speed collisions and the dangers of wildlife near amusement parks.

For Fabio Lanzoni, the incident became an indelible part of his public persona, alongside his iconic commercial work for "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!" and his thousands of romance novel covers. While the event was initially painful, the supermodel has long embraced the absurdity of the story, often recounting the tale with a sense of humor and disbelief, ensuring that the legend of the goose on Apollo's Chariot lives on for decades to come.