US man struck by lightning while heading to dentist, survives near-death encounter

A US man was struck by lightning outside his Staten Island home while leaving for a dentist appointment. He survived without visible burns, later thanking God and buying a Mega Millions ticket.US man struck by lightning while heading to dentist, survives near-death encounter (Photos: @CollinRugg/X)A routine trip to the dentist turned into a near-unbelievable brush with nature for a Staten Island man after he was struck by lightning just outside his home, and lived to tell the tale.According to a report by ABC 30, doorbell camera footage captured the dramatic moment Thomas Fahmy was struck during severe storms that swept through Staten Island last week.Fahmy had stepped out of his home and was heading to a dentist appointment when a lightning bolt struck near his foot.Watch the video here: Staten Island man struck by lightning while walking to a dentist appointment.Thomas Fahmy says he is grateful to be alive and went to church on Sunday to thank God for giving him another chance."Once the lightning bolt struck me, the initial sensations that I had throughout pic.twitter.com/Ns11TGqB23— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 1, 2026 Describing the terrifying experience to ABC 30, Fahmy said the impact sent sensations through his entire body unlike anything he had experienced before. He recalled feeling tingling, numbness and pain, along with an intense burning sensation.Despite the frightening strike, Fahmy survived without any visible burns. He was taken to hospital and kept overnight for medical examinations before being discharged. Fahmy later told ABC 30 that doctors found no burns after carrying out multiple examinations. Grateful to have survived the incident, he said he went to church the following Sunday to thank God.And after surviving a lightning strike, Fahmy apparently decided to test his luck in another way.On Saturday, he bought himself a Mega Millions lottery ticket.Whether lightning had already used up all his luck remained to be seen, but surviving the strike was certainly a jackpot of its own.- EndsPublished By: Yashna TalwarPublished On: Sep 2, 2026 13:38 IST