A 24-year-old man struck by lightning while walking on Staten Island has survived with no major injuries, according to reports. Surveillance video shows Thomas Fahmy collapsing instantly as the bolt hit, then staggering to his feet to seek help.
The Incident on Todt Hill Road
Fahmy was walking along Todt Hill Road near Windsor Road in Castleton Corners, Staten Island, last Thursday (August 27), heading to a dentist appointment after work. The lightning struck just 15 to 25 feet from his parked car, causing him to drop to the pavement as the electrical charge coursed through him.
“This very intense burning sensation,” Fahmy described. “Tingling, numbness, pain, severe pain, in both my feet.” He felt an intense shock throughout his body but never blacked out, and the footage shows him pushing himself up and staggering towards a nearby home to beg for help.
Neighbor Rushes to Help
A neighbour, Stephanie Homan, heard his cries and raced to assist, NBC New York reported. “I heard ‘help me, help me’ so I ran to my door and saw him on the ground,” Homan told NBC New York.
Paramedics rushed Fahmy to Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, where doctors ran extensive tests. Despite the strike, he suffered no external burns and no major internal injuries. He was kept overnight for standard monitoring and discharged the next day.
Survivor's New Outlook
Fahmy works as a district office staffer for U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis on Staten Island. The congresswoman released a statement Monday expressing relief at his survival.
She said: “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 incident has changed how he looks at life. He headed to church the following Sunday to give thanks. “Just to appreciate life, smile and breathe fresh air once in a while and don’t let life overwhelm you,” he said.
Lightning strikes in the UK are incredibly rare, but most people who are hit do survive, according to figures compiled by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO). Their data suggests around 30 to 60 people are struck by lightning in the UK each year. On average, only two to three of those strikes prove fatal, meaning roughly 90% to 95% survive.
