What started as a regular Thursday afternoon in New York City quickly turned into something terrifying when a freak thunderstorm swept across Manhattan, catching people by surprise—especially one teenage boy who ended up in the hospital after being struck by lightning in Central Park.
The skies went from sunny to stormy in a matter of minutes, unleashing booming thunder, heavy rain, and flashes of lightning that lit up the city skyline.
Teen Hit by Lightning While Taking Shelter
The incident happened around 3:40 p.m. near 101st Street and Fifth Avenue, where a teenage boy was seeking shelter under a tree.
That’s when a bolt of lightning struck—sending a powerful jolt through the tree and into the metal chain the teen was wearing around his neck.
According to the FDNY and police reports, the electricity traveled from the tree into the chain, causing burns to his neck.
Despite the intensity of the strike, the boy was found conscious and sitting on a path nearby.
“He’s lucky to be alive,” one officer told The Daily News.
Witnesses Left Shaken by the Scary Scene
Crystal Mateo, 17, happened to be nearby when the lightning struck and saw everything unfold.
She described the horrifying moment when the teen collapsed right after the bolt hit.
“It was scary,” Mateo said. “I was crying.”
She recalled seeing an abandoned picnic setup near a tall elm tree—left behind in the chaos—complete with water bottles, snack wrappers, and a volleyball.
It painted a clear picture of just how abruptly the storm interrupted a seemingly normal day in the park.
Immediate Response and Hospitalization
Emergency responders rushed the injured teen to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he remains in stable condition.
His name has not been released.
The area around the strike was quickly roped off with yellow police tape, and for about an hour, rain continued to fall as officials assessed the scene.
Storm Passed Quickly but Left a Mark
By 5:15 p.m., just a little over an hour after the terrifying event, the storm had already cleared.
The sun came back out, and New Yorkers were once again walking their dogs and enjoying the park, as if nothing had happened.
But for those who witnessed the incident, the shock lingered.
Lightning Strikes Rare—But Still Dangerous
While it’s not common to hear about people being struck by lightning in New York City, experts stress that it’s still a real danger—especially during sudden, fast-moving storms like this one.
Robert LePlae, an Upper East Side resident, said,
“I’ve never heard of that happening in the city, especially in the park like that.”
Odds Are Low, But the Risk Is Real
The odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are less than 1 in a million.
Still, lightning remains one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths in the U.S.
From 2009 to 2018, an average of 27 people died annually from lightning strikes.
And just a few years ago, in 2021, a 13-year-old boy tragically died after being struck at Orchard Beach in the Bronx.
A Wake-Up Call for New Yorkers
As the teen continues to recover, this incident serves as a powerful reminder to stay alert during sudden weather changes—even in a city where such events are rare.
It’s a chilling lesson in how nature can turn deadly in an instant, and a moment that won’t be forgotten by those who witnessed it firsthand.