MIAMI — A man visiting Miami on a youth mission is in critical condition after being struck by lightning on Sunday.
Hailu Kidanemariam, 40, was struck while going door-to-door, handing out children’s books in a northwest Miami-Dade County neighborhood.
Resident Maria Martinez said she had just received one of the books when Kidanemariam was hit.
“We heard like a gunshot,” she said. “When we turned around, I saw a cloud of smoke and this guy jumping, like basically being slammed on his feet. He just fell back and laid there.”
Lt. Elkin Sierra of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said paramedics brought Kidanemariam back from death.
“He had no heartbeat. He had no respirations,” Sierra said. “Our units intervened the way any emergency room doctor would intervene — we carry the same equipment — and brought back the pulse.”
Kidanemariam was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where members of his youth group were awaiting his recovery.
“He is originally from Ethiopia,” friend Francisco Perez said. “He’s studying theology and nursing in Puerto Rico. He was here working for his scholarship. He could go back to school in August.”
Perez said the weather did not look threatening when lightning struck his friend.
“It wasn’t even raining,” he said.
According to Jim Lushine, an NBC WeatherPlus severe weather expert, more people are struck by lightning before it starts raining or after it stops. (More Lightning Facts)
“If the interval between thunder and lightning is 30 seconds or less, definitely stay inside,” Sierra said. “Don’t let the bright conditions fool you and think that it’s OK to be outside during lightning strikes.”
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