15-Year-Old Describes Being Struck by Lightning in Central Park

Lightning Strike Incident in Central Park

• ⚡ A 15-year-old high school sophomore, Yasin Khalifa, was struck by lightning while picnicking with friends in Central Park.
• 🌳 He had leaned against a tree for shelter during a sudden storm, an action he later realized might not have been the best idea.
• 🤕 The lightning strike knocked him unconscious for a few minutes, and he was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Medical Condition and Recovery

• 🏥 Yasin is being treated at Wild Cornell for second-degree burns.
• ✅ He considers himself lucky as his spine was directly against the tree, but no nerve damage occurred, and he expects to make a full recovery without losing motor function.

Storm's Destructive Impact in the Region

• 💥 The storm caused significant damage across the region, including toppled trees that crushed parked vehicles and ripped up sidewalks.
• 🏠 In Maspeth, a tree fell on a van, and another tree was uprooted, pulling up sidewalk slabs.
• ⚠️ In Cranford, New Jersey, a lawn was damaged by a tree's roots, and some customers in Queens lost power.
• 🩹 One woman in Maspeth was treated for a minor injury from a falling branch.