Michigan Man, 20, Dies After Suspected Lightning Strike in Florida

A 20-year-old Michigan man who had arrived in Central Florida only days earlier to start the Disney College Program died after an apparent lightning strike while walking on a path, authorities and his family said.

Matthew Eric Jenkins, of Shelby Township, Michigan, was discovered unresponsive Tuesday evening on a walking path behind a hotel in Celebration, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said.

Jenkins’ father told WESH-TV that his son had moved to Central Florida last week to begin the Walt Disney World internship program.

The call brought deputies to the 700 block of Bloom Street at about 6:25 p.m., where investigators later said lightning had struck in the area.

Spyro Betz, who said he had been walking nearby before getting to his car, told FOX35 Orlando that he heard an intense burst of lightning overhead.

“I heard the big crack of lightning that was like right overhead,” Betz said.

At first, he believed the lightning had hit a building.

“When I heard the lightning strike, I expected it hit the building or something like that or hit the hotel. I didn’t expect it to hit a person,” Betz said.

Felipe Costa told WESH-TV he ran toward the path after hearing the lightning and found Jenkins on the ground.

“As soon as I heard that, I started running, and I came over here [where it happened]. That’s when I saw the man,” Costa said.

A woman joined Costa and began performing CPR while they waited for first responders.

Jenkins was taken to AdventHealth Celebration, where he was pronounced dead.

Jenkins’ father told the outlet that the family was grateful to everyone who tried to help his son.

The sheriff’s office said detectives are awaiting the medical examiner’s determination of Jenkins’ official cause of death.