New York City: Man Struck by Lightning Near His Car in Staten Island, Walks Away Without Burns (Video)
Thomas Fahmy survived a lightning strike on Staten Island after being hit near his car during a storm. Surveillance video captured him collapsing before he regained his footing and sought help from a nearby resident. Fahmy spent a night at the hospital, suffered no visible burns and later said the experience changed how he views life.
A man in Staten Island, New York, is sharing his remarkable story of survival after he was struck by lightning just feet from his car, with surveillance video capturing the moment he suddenly collapsed to the ground. Thomas Fahmy said he was walking along Todt Hill Road near Windsor Road last Thursday, just about 15 to 25 feet from his car while on his way to a dentist appointment, when he was struck.
Surveillance video shows Fahmy suddenly drop to the ground after the lightning strike. He said he felt an intense shock throughout his body, NBC News reported. “This very intense burning sensation. Tingling, numbness, pain, severe pain, in both my feet,” Fahmy said. Why Indian-Origin Gurmeet Singh Lost His US Citizenship 15 Years After Brutal New York Rape Conviction.
Man Struck by Lightning Strike in US
🇺🇸 A Staten Island man was struck by LIGHTNING walking to a dentist appointment and survived without a single burn
"Tingling, numbness, pain, this burning sensation"
Multiple body exams... zero burns!
He went to church Sunday to say thank you.
Honestly, what else can you…
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 2, 2026
Man Struck by Lightning Near His Car in Staten Island
"Once the lightning bolt struck me, the initial sensations that I had throughout my whole body were like completely unprecedented, tingling, numbness, pain, just I feel this burning sensation," he said.
Despite the pain, Fahmy said he never lost consciousness. Video shows him managing to get back on his feet and walking toward a nearby home in search of help. “I heard, ‘Help me, help me,’ so I ran to my door and saw him on the ground,” said Stephanie Homan, who came to Fahmy’s aid. Brooklyn Bridge Fire: Blaze Erupts on Iconic Bridge During Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show (Watch Video).
Fahmy didn’t suffer any visible burns or major injuries from the lightning strike. "No burns. I had multiple body exams, no burns at all," Fahmy said. He was taken to Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, where he was monitored overnight before being released the following day.
Fahmy works at US Rep. Nicole Malliotakis’ Staten Island office. The congresswoman released a statement Monday expressing relief that he survived: “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.”
Fahmy, who describes himself as a man of faith, said the experience has changed the way he looks at life. "I went on church Sunday to say thank you God," he said, adding: “Just to appreciate life, smile and breathe fresh air once in a while and don’t let life overwhelm you.” On Saturday he bought a Mega Millions lottery ticket.
The incident comes amid a spate of reports of lightning strikes, some deadly, across the country. A father in Florida was killed by a lightning strike while jet skiing in the waters off St. Petersburg over the weekend and a mother and her toddler were struck by lightning while walking on a sidewalk in Margate. An Illinois mother and her son suffered serious burns after they were struck by lightning during a camping trip to Lake Superior.
About 37 million lightning strikes hit ground in the US each year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the odds of being hit are less than 1 in a million, and almost 90% of all people struck by lightning survive.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 02, 2026 07:25 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
