Fifteen-year-old Yassin Khalifa was struck by lightning this week while sheltering under a tree during a sudden thunderstorm in Central Park’s East Meadow. He was unconscious for several minutes and later taken to New York‑Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center with second‑degree burns on his neck and leg, but he is expected to recover fully.
Khalifa told WABC-TV that he had leaned against the tree to ride out the storm, “which in hindsight might not have been the best idea.” A bolt hit the tree and traveled through the metal chain he wore, knocking him to the ground. “Apparently, I’m pretty lucky, because my spine was directly against the tree and no nerve damage happened,” he said.
The lightning strike came amid a broader severe-weather system sweeping the U.S. from the Greater Plains to the Northeast this week. Forecasters warned of wind gusts, hail, isolated tornadoes, and flash flooding. Today, much of the area is under an extreme heat warning that settled in after the storms.
Health officials caution that although only about 20 people die from lightning strikes yearly in the U.S., around 90 percent of people injured by a lightning bolt survive, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Khalifa’s survival has sparked relief and reflection: “I’m pretty happy about that,” he said, expressing gratitude for escaping more serious harm. Officials say the incident serves as a stark reminder to avoid trees during thunderstorms.
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