Boy struck by lightning in New York City’s Central Park says he feels lucky
Jun 20, 2025, 7:34 AM
NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� A 15-year-old boy says he feels 鈥減retty lucky鈥� after being struck by lightning in Central Park on Thursday when a round of thunderstorms swept through New York City.
Yassin Khalifa, a high school sophomore, he was in the park with friends enjoying a picnic when the storm suddenly rolled in.
鈥淚 leaned up against a tree, and I told them, 鈥極h, guys, let鈥檚 ride out the storm,鈥� which in hindsight might not have been the best idea,鈥� Khalifa said.
Khalifa said said he was knocked unconscious for several minutes. Crystal Mateo, 17, she witnessed the scene and saw Khalifa’s friends frantically calling for help and trying to revive him.
鈥淚t was scary,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was crying.鈥�
Khalifa told WABC he was conscious when he was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was treated for burns on his neck and leg. Khalifa said he’s expected to make a full recovery.
鈥淎pparently, I鈥檓 pretty lucky, because my spine was directly against the tree and no nerve damage happened. So I鈥檓 like, not losing any sort of motor function,” Khalifa said. 鈥淪o I鈥檓 pretty happy about that.鈥�
Lightning kills around 30 people a year in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Strikes, though, are usually not fatal. About 90 percent of people injured by a lightning bolt survive.
