Teen speaks of shock after surviving lightning strike in New York's Central Park
Yassin Khalifa was picnicking in the park with his friends Thursday afternoon when a thunderstorm rolled through, according to multiple local outlets who spoke with the teen.
Khalifa recalled telling his friends to take cover under a tree, which he told Eyewitness News, 'in hindsight might not have been the best idea.'
'I lean up against the tree. Five seconds later, I am on the floor,' the teen told CBS News New York.
Khalifa doesn't actually remember the moment he was struck by lightning, as he was knocked unconscious.
He described being 'locked' in his body, which had sustained second-degree burns.
"I can see, but I can't talk. I can't move. So I'm just kind of locked in my body for a second until I get into the ambulance and I feel everyone trying to shake me,' Khalifa said.
Lightning strikes about 25 million times a year in the U.S., according to the National Weather Service. Roughly 20 people are killed and hundreds more are severely injured by lightning strikes annually around the country, the service says.
Khalifa's mother, Khalida, told CBS News New York, "I was so scared to lose him because it was looking very, very bad.'
His sister, Reem, said her brother was 'in a lot of pain.'
Khalifa told Eyewitness News that he expects to make a full recovery.
"Apparently, I'm pretty lucky, because my spine was directly against the tree and no nerve damage happened,' he said.
Khalifa's freak accident has given Reem some perspective.
"We were beefing about, like, $10 this week, and that's why I've been annoyed at him, but that's something so simple. It means nothing in hindsight of everything,' she told CBS News New York of her brother.
In true sibling fashion, Reem found a way to crack a joke now the worst was behind them.
"I'm kind of mad, though, because his curls stayed intact and mine don't, and I haven't been electrocuted," she said.
Khalifa's family is hopeful their boy can be released from the hospital this weekend.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
24 minutes ago
- CBS News
Photos show Outer Banks homes appearing near collapse in Hurricane Erin's high waves
Two beachfront homes in North Carolina's Outer Banks appear to be on the verge of collapse as they are pounded by strong waves from Hurricane Erin. Nearly a dozen neighboring homes have fallen into the Atlantic Ocean since 2020. While the swells from storms like Erin make things worse, the conditions threatening the houses are always present. The placement of the homes along the water puts them at risk, according to the National Park Service, which oversees much of the area. Many of the homes along the beaches of the Outer Banks are on properties once filled with land, dunes and dry sand that are now partially or fully covered with ocean water "on a regular basis," the agency says. Photos show the Rodanthe, North Carolina, homes on elevated wooden support beams, with water churning beneath them. High tides were sending surges of water into the support beams on Thursday morning. In one image, the beams appear to be unsteady and bending inwards. Rodanthe, home to about 200 people, sticks out further into the Atlantic Ocean than any other part of North Carolina. Barrier islands like the Outer Banks were never an ideal place for development, according to experts. The islands typically form as waves deposit sediment off the mainland. And they move based on weather patterns and other ocean forces. Some even disappear. Decades ago, houses and other buildings were smaller, less elaborate and easier to move from the encroaching surf, said David Hallac, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore in the Outer Banks. "Perhaps it was more well understood in the past that the barrier island was dynamic, that it was moving," Hallac said. "And if you built something on the beachfront it may not be there forever or it may need to be moved." At least 11 other houses have toppled into the surf in Rodanthe in the past five years, according to the National Park Service. In September 2024, three houses collapsed in just one week. Rising water levels mean more structures are always at risk: Some places along the Outer Banks lose up to 10 to 15 feet of beachfront a year, Hallac said. "All of a sudden, the foreshore, that area between low water and high water, is right up next to somebody's backyard. And then the erosion continues," he said. A 2024 report from a group of federal, state and local officials studying threatened oceanfront structures in North Carolina found that 750 of nearly 8,800 such structures in the state are considered at risk from erosion. Hurricane Erin's outer bands brought strong winds and waves to the Outer Banks and other parts of the East Coast on Thursday. Forecasters have warned that large waves could likely cause significant beach erosion and temporarily block some roads. Parts of the Outer Banks were urged to evacuate ahead of the large storm. Carol Diller, 96, stayed behind — but told CBS News she fears the impact of the eroding shoreline on the motel she has owned for 70 years. The buildings are up against a national park and can't be rebuilt any further back, she said. "We could wash away completely," she said. Elsewhere on the East Coast, beaches were closed to swimming amid warnings of strong rip currents and rough seas. Massachusetts' Nantucket Island could see waves of more than 10 feet.
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Heat Advisory issued for Northern California as triple-digits make a comeback
( — The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory starting on Friday morning as the triple-digits make their way back to the Sacramento region. The advisory takes effect in the Sacramento Valley, Northern San Joaquin Valley, Carquinez Strait and Delta, Mountains, Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County, Shasta Lake Area and Shasta County, NWS said. Heat-related illnesses can increase significantly during heat events, particularly for those who are working outdoors, according to NWS. 'When outdoors in the heat, wear lightweight, loose-fitting, and light-colored clothing. Hats are also a good idea to protect your face and scalp from harmful UV rays,' NWS said. 'Don't forget to apply sunscreen liberally.' Deputies arrest man in connection with fatal shooting in South Sacramento Northern California can expect to see highs of 95-107 degrees Fahrenheit, with lows in the mid-60s and 70s. On Wednesday night, the Sacramento region will experience clear conditions with a low temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit, along with calm winds. The low temperature is about 5 degrees above normal for this time of the year, according to FOX40 Chief Meteorologist Adam Epstein. Adam Epstein's Thursday forecast high of 102 matches the hottest temperature Sacramento has observed so far in 2025. There won't be much relief at night with lows remaining in the mid-60s throughout the Valley. This pattern repeats on Friday and Saturday with afternoon highs near 100 and overnight lows in the mid-60s. The Heat Advisory expires at 11 PM on Saturday. Next week will be more seasonable with highs in the mid to low 90s, along with cooler lows near 60 degrees in Sacramento. For more information about the weather, click here to head to Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Evacuation warnings issued for Coyote Fire in El Dorado County
( — Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit is battling a 554-acre fire in El Dorado County on Wednesday afternoon. According to Cal Fire, the fire has been named 'Coyote Fire,' which started around Coyoteville Lane and Cedar Creek Road at around 2 p.m. The El Doardo County Sheriff's Office said that due to the Coyote Fire, there have been evacuation warnings in place in the area of Farnham Ridge Road located in the Omo and Somerest Zones. Heat Advisory issued for Northern California as triple-digits make a comeback Cal Fire said that evacuation warnings are issued for residents who have additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should be ready to leave. The sheriff's office said if residents choose to evacuate to use Mount Aukum Road and drive safely, as there are emergency responders in the area. For more information regarding the warning, click here. At this time, it is unknown what caused the fire to start burning. This is a developing story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
