A 20-year-old man from Michigan has died after being struck by lightning in Central Florida, authorities said. Matthew Eric Jenkins, who had recently moved to the area to participate in the Disney College Program, was found unresponsive on a walking path behind a hotel in Celebration on Tuesday evening.
According to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called to the scene at around 6:25 p.m. after receiving reports of a person down on the path. Investigators have confirmed that lightning struck nearby, but the exact circumstances of Jenkins' death are still under investigation.
Eyewitnesses described hearing a loud crack of lightning, which they initially thought had struck a building. However, it was later determined that Jenkins was the one who had been struck. A bystander, who was walking nearby, performed CPR on Jenkins while waiting for first responders to arrive.
Jenkins was taken to AdventHealth Celebration, where he was pronounced dead. His family has expressed gratitude to everyone who tried to help their son. The sheriff's office is awaiting the medical examiner's determination of the official cause of death.
The incident is a tragic reminder of the dangers of lightning strikes, which can be unpredictable and deadly.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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