A teenage girl died after being struck by lightning in Florida, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
Baylee Holbrook, 16, and her father, Matthew Holbrook, were hunting Tuesday in a wooded area north of Palatka when lightning struck a tree next to them. The lightning left Holbrook and her father unconscious, according to an incident report.
Holbrook’s father woke up and saw that his daughter was not breathing. He loaded her into his truck and drove to a main road before attempting CPR until emergency personnel arrived, the report said.
The teen was taken to HCA Florida Putnam Hospital until she was “stabilized enough” to be transported to the pediatric trauma center at UF Health Shands Hospital, where she died Thursday morning surrounded by her family, according to the sheriff’s office.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of 28 people die each year in the country from lightning strikes, with the majority of deaths occurring in Florida, Texas, Colorado, North Carolina and Alabama.
One of the varsity cheerleader’s last names — Faith — is also what inspires her community during this devastating time, Rick Surrency, superintendent of the Putnam County School District and family friend, said in a statement.
“She had the unique gift of making everyone smile in her presence,” disse Surrency .”She has been and will continue to be a shining light to us all.”
More than 100 people attended a vigil Thursday night to honor Holbrook and pray for his family, according to the CNN WJXT.
See also — Drone films shark chasing rays in Florida.
Source: CNN Brasil
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