CELEBRATION, Fla. — The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office has identified a 20-year-old Michigan man who died after he was found unresponsive near a walking path following reports of a lightning strike in Celebration.
Deputies responded at approximately 6:25 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, to the area behind a hotel at 700 Bloom Street. Witnesses reportedly observed a lightning strike in the area before the man was found unresponsive.
Bystanders were performing CPR when deputies arrived. The man was transported to AdventHealth Celebration, where he was later pronounced dead.
On Wednesday, investigators identified the victim as Matthew Eric Jenkins, 20, of Shelby Township, Michigan, after working with federal law enforcement authorities. His parents in Michigan were notified of his death.
Although witnesses reported seeing lightning in the area, authorities have not officially confirmed that a lightning strike caused Jenkins’ death. Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit are awaiting findings from the medical examiner to determine the official cause of death.
Florida has recorded more lightning-related fatalities than any other state, with 98 deaths reported since 2006, according to statistics from the National Lightning Safety Council.
The National Weather Service reminds residents and visitors that if they can hear thunder, they are close enough to a storm for lightning to pose an immediate and potentially deadly threat. Anyone who hears thunder should stop outdoor activities and take shelter immediately inside a substantial enclosed building or hard-topped vehicle.
People should remain sheltered for at least 30 minutes after hearing the final sound of thunder. Pavilions, porches, tents, dugouts and isolated trees do not provide adequate protection from lightning.
The investigation into Jenkins’ death remains ongoing.
