Couple on track for ‘full recovery’ after surviving lightning strike on Central Florida trail
The couple who survived being struck by lightning on the West Orange Trail in Winter Garden last week said they are “healing and are on track for a full recovery.”
“Words cannot adequately express our gratitude to the four good Samaritans, the first responders, and the medical professionals whose actions helped save our lives,” Aaron and Clare Walenga said in a statement Friday.
>> More: Good Samaritans credited with saving couple’s lives after lightning strike on Central Florida trail
Body camera video released Friday by police shows an officer running to the couple, who were both face down on the ground.
Bodycam show response to save husband, wife severely injured in lightning strike on Florida trailWatch on
“They were struck by lightning,” the woman who called 911 tells the officer. “Their umbrella was struck by lightning, and then they were both on their face.”
Other good Samaritans on the trail rushed to help and performed CPR on Clare before first responders arrived.
“He’s never been not breathing,” the 911 caller said in the body camera video. “She was blue.”
Aaron was alert, but struggling to move and speak.
“Stay on your side,” the officer tells Aaron. “I know it hurts.”
‘Holding hands’
According to the incident report, Aaron told police he remembered holding hands with his wife when they got hit by lightning.
Image provided
Ret. Colonel Aaron Walenga, USAF, & Clare Walenga
Aaron and Clare ended up at Orlando Regional Medical Center.
They both work at Foundation Academy in Winter Garden, where their three children go to school.
The school’s president, Dr. Jeff Lawrence, told WESH 2 that Clare’s condition worried them most, but then they got a positive update from the hospital.
“We got news that they were going to be removing the breathing tube,” Dr. Lawrence said. “And that’s a miracle.”
Here is the full statement from Ret. Colonel Aaron Walenga (USAF) and Clare Walenga:
“We are grateful to report that Clare and I are healing and are on track for a full recovery.
First and foremost, we thank God for the miracles He has allowed us to experience. Our faith in Jesus Christ sustains us, and our hope remains firmly rooted in His promises for our lives, regardless of the challenges we may face in the present.
Today, our hearts are also with everyone remembering and mourning loved ones lost on September 11. We likewise grieve alongside those who lost loved ones as the result of lightning strikes and other unexpected tragedies. This experience reminds us deeply of how precious and fragile life can be, and we are committed to honoring the extraordinary gift of life so graciously given to us.
Our purpose remains simple: to love God and to love others.
Words cannot adequately express our gratitude to the four Good Samaritans, the first responders, and the medical professionals whose actions helped save our lives. We are also profoundly thankful for the incredible outpouring of love and support we received from family, friends, and people across the country. The meals, fellowship, prayers, encouragement, and countless messages have brought us immeasurable joy and humbled us each day.
As we continue to heal, we respectfully ask for privacy and time to focus on our recovery and our family. We look forward to sharing more of our story in the future, alongside the remarkable people who played such an important role in saving our lives.”
Lightning strikes in Florida
A 20-year-old Michigan man died after being struck by lightning earlier this week near downtown Celebration, just one week after he moved to Central Florida to begin working in the Disney College Program.