A man in Staten Island, New York, is sharing his remarkable story of survival after he was struck by lightning just feet from his car, with surveillance video capturing the moment he suddenly collapsed to the ground.
Thomas Fahmy said he was walking along Todt Hill Road near Windsor Road last Thursday, just about 15 to 25 feet from his car, when he was struck.
Staten Island man struck by lightning and survives
Surveillance video shows Fahmy suddenly drop to the ground after the lightning strike. He said he felt an intense shock throughout his body.
“This very intense burning sensation. Tingling, numbness, pain, severe pain, in both my feet,” Fahmy said.
Despite the pain, Fahmy said he never lost consciousness. Video shows him managing to get back on his feet and walking toward a nearby home in search of help.
“I heard, ‘Help me, help me,’ so I ran to my door and saw him on the ground,” said Stephanie Homan, who came to Fahmy’s aid.
Fahmy didn’t suffer any visible burns or major injuries from the lightning strike, but was taken to Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, where he was monitored overnight before being released the following day.
Fahmy works at U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis’ Staten Island office. The congresswoman released a statement Monday expressing relief that he survived.
“We are grateful that Thomas, a member of my congressional staff is alive and well after being struck by lightning last week. I thank the Good Samaritan who ran to his aid and the medical staff at Staten Island University Hospital who treated him.”
Fahmy, who describes himself as a man of faith, said the experience has changed the way he looks at life.
“Just to appreciate life, smile and breathe fresh air once in a while and don’t let life overwhelm you,” Fahmy said.
The incident comes amid a spate of reports of lightning strikes, some deadly, across the country. A father in Florida was killed by a lightning strike while jet skiing in the waters off St. Petersburg over the weekend and a mother and her toddler were struck by lightning while walking on a sidewalk in Margate. An Illinois mother and her son suffered serious burns after they were struck by lightning during a camping trip to Lake Superior.
About 37 million lightning strikes hit ground in the U.S. each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the odds of being hit are less than 1 in a million, and almost 90% of all people struck by lightning survive.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC New York. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC New York journalist edited the article for publication.
