A Staten Island man has survived after being struck by lightning while walking to his car during a thunderstorm.
The man, identified as Thomas Fahmy, was hit by the lightning last Thursday as he made his way to his vehicle, which was parked outside his home.
CCTV footage of the incident showed Fahmy walking through heavy rain with an umbrella over his head. As he moved away from his white picket fence, a bolt of lightning suddenly struck him.
The impact caused him to collapse to the ground. Despite the frightening incident, Fahmy survived and was seen moving on the ground as he tried to recover.
He was also heard repeatedly saying: ‘Oh my god!’
Speaking to local media about what he experienced after being struck, Fahmy described feeling intense pain and a burning sensation in his body.
He said: ” It was a very tense, burning sensation. Tingling, numbness, pain – severe pain in both of my feet.”
A neighbour named Stephanie, who heard Fahmy calling for help after the strike, said she immediately went outside when she realised something was wrong.
She said: “I heard…….Help me, help me, so I ran to my door and saw him on the ground.”
Although the lightning strike left Fahmy shaken and in pain, he did not suffer any visible burns or major injuries.
He was taken to Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, where doctors kept him overnight for observation.
Fahmy was released from the hospital the following day.
Fahmy works at the Staten Island office of US Representative Nicole Malliotakis.
Following the incident, Malliotakis released a statement on Monday expressing her relief that her staff member survived the lightning strike.
Her statement read: “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”
See video below…….