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A New York GOP congressional staffer miraculously survived a freak lightning strike while he was walking to his dentist appointment on Staten Island, chilling footage showed.
Thomas Fahmy, a congressional staffer for Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), was struck by the thunderous lightning as he strolled along Todt Avenue near Windsor Road in the Castleton Corners neighborhood during Thursday’s storms.
Fahmy, who had been carrying an umbrella, collapsed to the ground from the violent jolt, according to video obtained by WNBC.
“I was nearly 15, 20 feet away from my car when I was struck by lightning,” Fahmy told the outlet.
Fahmy remained conscious and recalled the electricity surge through his body.
“It was a very intense burning sensation, tingling, numbness, pain. Severe pain in both of my feet,” he said about the near-death experience.
Fahmy remained on the ground in the residential neighborhood for a few moments before he cried out for help.
He caught the attention of neighbor Stefanie Homan, who had been inside her home during the booming strike.
“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 told WNBC.
Fahmy was rushed to Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, where he was hospitalized overnight for evaluation, but was discharged the next day.
No burn marks or serious injuries were found on Fahmy following the strike.
“No burns. I had multiple body exams, no burns at all,” he told WABC. “I went on church Sunday to say thank you God.”
Malliotakis praised her staffer, who works out of her Staten Island office, following the strike.
“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, Malliotakis said. “We appreciate the good Samaritan and medical staff at Staten Island University Hospital who helped him get emergency care.”
After he escaped from the strike, Fahmy tested his luck and purchased a Mega Millions lottery ticket Saturday.
But luck did not strike twice for Fahmy as no one won the game’s $160 million jackpot Tuesday night.
However, Fahmy came out of the ordeal with a new view on life.
“Just to appreciate life, smile and breathe fresh airs once in a while and don’t let life overwhelm you,” he said.
The chances of being struck by lightning are less than one in a million, with 90 percent of victims surviving, the Centers for Disease Control reported.
Lightning strikes the ground of the US over 37 million times a year.
The record for most strikes survived by a person was set by a Virginia man named Roy Sullivan with seven.
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