Being struck by lightning is an extraordinarily rare event – the odds are estimated at less than one in a million. But Thomas Fahmy somehow beat those odds while walking down a Staten Island street during a storm last week.
Fahmy, a congressional staffer for Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, was heading to a dentist appointment along Todt Avenue in the Castleton Corners neighborhood last Thursday when lightning struck him.
Doorbell camera footage obtained by ABC7 shows Fahmy suddenly collapsing onto the pavement, just 15 to 20 feet away from his car. Despite the terrifying strike, he remained conscious the entire time.
He had been using an umbrella while making his way through the pouring rain when the lightning hit. Fahmy later told ABC7 that the sensation was immediate and extremely painful.
“It was a very intense burning sensation, tingling, numbness, pain and severe pain in both of my feet,” he said.
He lay on the ground for several moments before calling out for assistance.
His cries were heard by neighbor Stefanie Homan, who was inside her home when she realized someone outside was in trouble.
“I heard yelling, heard ‘help me, help me,’ so I ran to my door and saw him down here on the ground, so I got the phone and called 911,” she said, according to UNILAD.
Emergency responders took Fahmy to Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, where doctors kept him overnight for observation. He was released the following day.
“No burns at all”
Despite being struck by lightning, Fahmy said doctors found no injuries or burns during multiple examinations.
“I had multi body exams, no burns at all – I went to church on Sunday to say thank you to god,” he said.
Malliotakis, whose Staten Island office employs Fahmy, later expressed her relief that he had survived.
“We are happy, grateful and relieved that Thomas, a valued member of our Staten Island office, is alive and well after being struck by lightning last week.
“We appreciate the good Samaritan and medical staff at Staten Island University Hospital who helped him get emergency care.”
The experience appears to have changed the way Fahmy looks at life. His advice for anyone hoping to live a happier one is simple: “Just appreciate life, smile and breathe fresh airs once in a while and don’t let life overwhelm you.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says approximately 90% of people struck by lightning survive. Still, being hit in the first place is extraordinarily unlikely.
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