STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (TNND) — A New York man walked away without serious injuries after he was struck by lightning outside a Staten Island home on Aug. 27 — a terrifying moment captured on camera.
Thomas Fahmy, a congressional staffer for Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, told “Good Morning America” he was walking to his car for a dentist appointment when the strike sent him crashing to the ground.
“I quickly came to the realization I was struck by lightning,” he recalled. “And I began to scream ‘Help! Help!’ at the top of my lungs.”
Doorbell footage shows Fahmy walking toward his vehicle when a bright flash and a loud pop send him collapsing to the ground.
Fahmy told WNBC he felt a “very intense burning sensation” followed by tingling, numbness and severe pain in both feet.
A neighbor heard Fahmy screaming for help as he made his way toward her home. He was taken to Staten Island University Hospital, where doctors found no visible burns or major injuries. He was released the following day.
“No burns,” Fahmy told WABC. “I had multiple body exams, no burns at all.”
Malliotakis said she was grateful Fahmy, a member of her congressional staff, was “alive and well” and thanked the Good Samaritan who came to his aid and the hospital staff who treated him.
Man struck by lightning and walks away Aug. 27, 2026 (Stefanie Homan via CNN Newsource)
Lightning strikes the ground about 37 million times each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The chances of being struck in any given year are less than one in a million, though nearly 90% of people who are struck survive.
Fahmy said the experience gave him a new outlook on life: “Just to appreciate life, smile and breathe fresh air once in a while and don’t let life overwhelm you.”
He added that he also decided to try his luck and bought a Mega Millions lottery ticket.