Latest news with #YassinKhalifa
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Climate
- Washington Post
Boy struck by lightning in New York City's Central Park says he feels lucky
NEW YORK — A 15-year-old boy says he feels 'pretty lucky' after being struck by lightning in Central Park on Thursday when a round of thunderstorms swept through New York City. Yassin Khalifa, a high school sophomore, told WABC-TV he was in the park with friends enjoying a picnic when the storm suddenly rolled in.
CTV News
an hour ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Boy struck by lightning in New York City's Central Park says he feels lucky
Central Park and buildings in midtown Manhattan are seen from the Rainbow Room, New York City's landmark restaurant atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) NEW YORK — A 15-year-old boy says he feels 'pretty lucky' after being struck by lightning in Central Park on Thursday when a round of thunderstorms swept through New York City. Yassin Khalifa, a high school sophomore, told WABC-TV he was in the park with friends enjoying a picnic when the storm suddenly rolled in. 'I leaned up against a tree, and I told them, 'Oh, guys, let's ride out the storm,' which in hindsight might not have been the best idea,' Khalifa said. Khalifa said said he was knocked unconscious for several minutes. Crystal Mateo, 17, told the New York Times she witnessed the scene and saw Khalifa's friends frantically calling for help and trying to revive him. 'It was scary,' she said. 'I was crying.' Khalifa told WABC he was conscious when he was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was treated for burns on his neck and leg. Khalifa said he's expected to make a full recovery. 'Apparently, I'm pretty lucky, because my spine was directly against the tree and no nerve damage happened. So I'm like, not losing any sort of motor function,' Khalifa said. 'So I'm pretty happy about that.' Lightning kills around 30 people a year in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Strikes, though, are usually not fatal. About 90 percent of people injured by a lightning bolt survive. The Associated Press
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Climate
- Associated Press
Boy struck by lightning in New York City's Central Park says he feels lucky
NEW YORK (AP) — A 15-year-old boy says he feels 'pretty lucky' after being struck by lightning in Central Park on Thursday when a round of thunderstorms swept through New York City. Yassin Khalifa, a high school sophomore, told WABC-TV he was in the park with friends enjoying a picnic when the storm suddenly rolled in. 'I leaned up against a tree, and I told them, 'Oh, guys, let's ride out the storm,' which in hindsight might not have been the best idea,' Khalifa said. Khalifa said said he was knocked unconscious for several minutes. Crystal Mateo, 17, told the New York Times she witnessed the scene and saw Khalifa's friends frantically calling for help and trying to revive him. 'It was scary,' she said. 'I was crying.' Khalifa told WABC he was conscious when he was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was treated for burns on his neck and leg. Khalifa said he's expected to make a full recovery. 'Apparently, I'm pretty lucky, because my spine was directly against the tree and no nerve damage happened. So I'm like, not losing any sort of motor function,' Khalifa said. 'So I'm pretty happy about that.' Lightning kills around 30 people a year in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Strikes, though, are usually not fatal. About 90 percent of people injured by a lightning bolt survive.
New York Post
5 hours ago
- Climate
- New York Post
NYC teen describes horrifying moment he was struck by lightning in Central Park: ‘Apparently, I'm pretty lucky'
The 15-year-old boy who was struck by lightning in Central Park said he's feeling 'lucky' that the electric shock only left him with burns. High school sophomore Yassin Khalifa told ABC 7 News from his hospital bed that he was enjoying a picnic with his friends in the park's East Meadow Thursday afternoon when they saw the black storm clouds roll in. Khalifa said he leaned up against a tree to keep out of the rain and suggested they 'ride it out' — which, he admitted, 'might not have been the best idea.' Advertisement 4 Yassin Khalifa was seriously injured after getting struck by lightning in Central Park on Thursday. Obtained by NYPost 4 Khalifa was enjoying a Central Park picnic with friends near the East Meadow when the storm suddenly blew in. WABC A bolt of lightning struck the tree near 101st Street and 5th Avenue around 3:40 p.m., knocking him unconscious for a few minutes. When he finally came to, he was in an ambulance rushing towards New York Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell Medical Center. Advertisement 4 Lightning strikes in New York City on Thursday, June 19, 2025. John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock He was treated for second-degree burns on his neck and leg — but the teenager realizes the damage could have been much worse. 'Apparently, I'm pretty lucky, because my spine was directly against the tree and no nerve damage happened,' Khalifa said. Advertisement 'So I'm like, not losing any sort of motor function. So I'm pretty happy about that.' 4 A teen was struck by lightning in Central Park during a storm on Thursday, June 19, 2025. NY Post Design Some 40 million lightning strikes hit the ground in the US every year – but the chances of an individual being struck is less than one in a million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Advertisement There were 444 Americans who were struck by lightning between 2006 and 2021. The survival rate is more than 90%, the agency said.
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Teen sheltered under a tree to ‘ride out the storm', then lightning struck
A 15-year-old boy is recovering after being struck by lightning while sheltering under a tree in Central Park during a sudden thunderstorm on Thursday afternoon. The incident, which occurred near the East Meadow close to 100th Street and Fifth Avenue, sent shockwaves through the city as emergency crews rushed to the scene. Yassin Khalifa, a high school sophomore, was enjoying a picnic with friends when severe weather rolled in. As rain intensified, Khalifa leaned against a tree, telling his friends, 'Oh, guys, let's ride out the storm, which in hindsight might not have been the best idea,' he later recounted in an interview with Eyewitness News. Moments later, a lightning bolt struck the tree, sending an electrical current through his body and knocking him unconscious for several minutes. Despite the severity of the strike, Khalifa regained consciousness and was alert when paramedics arrived. He was transported by ambulance to Weill Cornell Medical Center, where doctors treated him for second-degree burns on his neck and leg. Speaking from his hospital bed, Khalifa described himself as 'pretty lucky,' noting that his spine had been directly against the tree at the time, but he suffered no nerve damage or loss of motor function. 'So I'm like, not losing any sort of motor function. So I'm pretty happy about that,' he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 23.7% Returns in last 5 years with Shriram Life's ULIP Shriram Life Insurance Undo The lightning strike occurred at approximately 3:40 p.m., according to the FDNY , as a series of intense thunderstorms swept across the Tri-State area. The storms brought strong winds and heavy rainfall, causing widespread disruption, including downed trees and flight delays at local airports. In Ridgewood, Queens , a massive tree fell onto a car, while in Maspeth, toppled trees totaled several parked vehicles. In Cranford, New Jersey, a tree's roots tore up a lawn, leaving behind a large crater. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 90% of people struck by lightning in the United States survive, though lightning remains a leading cause of weather-related fatalities. Data from the National Weather Service indicates that between 2009 and 2018, an average of 27 Americans died each year from lightning strikes. Live Events Khalifa is expected to make a full recovery. His family and friends remain at his side, grateful for his survival. 'I feel lucky to be alive and surrounded by loved ones,' he said.
