A Florida middle school teacher is fighting for his life in a Peruvian hospital after a catastrophic sequence of events during a holiday bike ride, which saw him struck by lightning and then suffer a devastating crash that broke his neck.
A Fatal Bolt and a Terrifying Descent
James Fernandez, 41, from Palm Harbor, was cycling in the mountainous Cusco region of Peru with his friend, Yuri Botelho, 36, and a local guide on November 26. The trio were exploring near Machu Picchu during the Thanksgiving holiday when disaster struck in the form of a sudden lightning bolt.
The massive electric shock instantly killed Botelho, a Brazilian electrician who had been living in Minnesota with his wife and infant son. Fernandez was knocked unconscious by the strike. Remarkably, he remained on his bicycle, which then careered downhill at an altitude of nearly 14,000 feet until he collided with an object, causing severe spinal cord damage and multiple neck fractures.
Medical staff believe the lightning entered his body and exited through his foot, where he sustained a burn. The tour guide was also injured but managed to raise the alarm.
A Critical Fight for Recovery
Police who scoured the remote scene found Botelho's body in the wild grass. Fernandez was discovered, seemingly lifeless, by the side of a road and rushed to hospital alongside the guide. He has since undergone gruelling surgical procedures and has struggled to remain conscious, according to his close friend, Austin Mautner.
As of Monday night, Fernandez, a teacher at Palm Harbor Middle School, remained sedated and intubated. Doctors in Peru are working to stabilise him sufficiently for a complex medical evacuation to a trauma centre in Miami, Florida.
His loved ones are now confronting an uncertain future. "We don’t know what his mobility is going to look like - he has injuries to his spinal cord - but they’ll start to assess that once he’s back in the US," friend Bryan Liberman told the Tampa Bay Times.
Community Rallies for an Avid Adventurer
Fernandez was on the trip with his wife, Alexis, their five-month-old son, and the Botelho family. Described as a passionate world traveller and experienced cyclist, the accident has shocked his community both in Florida and among the global network of friends he cultivated through his adventures.
"He’s a very avid rider, both street and mountain bike, and this excursion wasn’t anything extremely challenging. It was just a freak accident," Mautner explained.
The financial burden of his care is immense. A GoFundMe campaign set up by Liberman states that the cost of medically evacuating Fernandez from Peru alone could reach $300,000. So far, more than 800 donors have contributed over $125,000 to support the family.
Back at Palm Harbor Middle School, where Fernandez has taught since 2022, students and colleagues are reeling. "He’s the kind of teacher who can always help you make your day better," said eighth-grader Cruz Castro.
Fernandez is also a father to an eight-year-old son. His friends describe a man who cherished his global connections, with Liberman adding, "I’d call him a brother. I wish I could say I’m special in that way, but everyone who knows him feels the same way."
