'Lucky to be alive:' Man opens up about near-fatal lightning strike caught on video
The near-fatal lightning strike was caught by a surveillance camera -- along with the heroic actions of quick-thinking witnesses
By
Mark Puleo, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Oct 7, 2019 5:59 PM EDT
The incredible footage of him getting struck by lightning while walking his dogs last week was seen around the world. Now, 27-year-old Alex Coreas is home from the hospital and sharing his terrifying story.
Less than a week after narrowly dodging death, Alex Coreas says that "the doctors were in shock that I made it."
The 27-year-old was struck by lightning outside near Stuebner Airline Veterinary Hospital, whose fast-acting employees, such as Bill Wilson, rushed to help.
"His shoes and his socks got blown off his feet," Christy Mitler, another employee at the Veterinary Hospital who rushed to help, said. "I started running through the hospital because somebody said they need help with CPR."
Coreas was out walking his three German Shepards last Thursday in Spring, Texas, when the bolt struck him. Upon falling to the ground, the three dogs ran away into the woods. Neighbors soon arrived to help locate them.
A nearby surveillance camera captured footage of the entire incident.
Upon being struck by a bolt that appears to flash around both of his feet, Coreas stiffly fell straight forward. A photo would later reveal the entire side of his right shoe torn and burnt from the strike.
Alex Corea's shoe was burnt from the bolt of lightning. (ABC News)
"The way I got hit and the way it travelled through my body, they did say that I'm lucky to be alive," Coreas said.
Upon being airlifted to the hospital, Coreas said he wasn't sure if he would survive the ordeal.
"Once I finally realized that I was in the helicopter and that I was struck by lightning, I started getting scared," Coreas said. "Trying to figure out what happened and what the condition was for me and if I was going to make it."
Now, less than a week later, Coreas sports a black eye and still suffers from burn wounds. According to Wilson, most of his clothes were burned as well.
Alex Coreas explains the terrifying ordeal. (ABC News)
Coreas expressed his appreciation for the men and women that rushed to help him, saying "they are the reason why I'm here."
Equally thankful for his survival are his three dogs.
"It's like one of the best feelings in the world to see those dogs," he said. "How loyal and how much they can miss you."
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'Lucky to be alive:' Man opens up about near-fatal lightning strike caught on video
The near-fatal lightning strike was caught by a surveillance camera -- along with the heroic actions of quick-thinking witnesses
By Mark Puleo, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Oct 7, 2019 5:59 PM EDT
The incredible footage of him getting struck by lightning while walking his dogs last week was seen around the world. Now, 27-year-old Alex Coreas is home from the hospital and sharing his terrifying story.
Less than a week after narrowly dodging death, Alex Coreas says that "the doctors were in shock that I made it."
The 27-year-old was struck by lightning outside near Stuebner Airline Veterinary Hospital, whose fast-acting employees, such as Bill Wilson, rushed to help.
"His shoes and his socks got blown off his feet," Christy Mitler, another employee at the Veterinary Hospital who rushed to help, said. "I started running through the hospital because somebody said they need help with CPR."
Coreas was out walking his three German Shepards last Thursday in Spring, Texas, when the bolt struck him. Upon falling to the ground, the three dogs ran away into the woods. Neighbors soon arrived to help locate them.
A nearby surveillance camera captured footage of the entire incident.
Upon being struck by a bolt that appears to flash around both of his feet, Coreas stiffly fell straight forward. A photo would later reveal the entire side of his right shoe torn and burnt from the strike.
Alex Corea's shoe was burnt from the bolt of lightning. (ABC News)
"The way I got hit and the way it travelled through my body, they did say that I'm lucky to be alive," Coreas said.
Upon being airlifted to the hospital, Coreas said he wasn't sure if he would survive the ordeal.
"Once I finally realized that I was in the helicopter and that I was struck by lightning, I started getting scared," Coreas said. "Trying to figure out what happened and what the condition was for me and if I was going to make it."
Now, less than a week later, Coreas sports a black eye and still suffers from burn wounds. According to Wilson, most of his clothes were burned as well.
Alex Coreas explains the terrifying ordeal. (ABC News)
Coreas expressed his appreciation for the men and women that rushed to help him, saying "they are the reason why I'm here."
Equally thankful for his survival are his three dogs.
"It's like one of the best feelings in the world to see those dogs," he said. "How loyal and how much they can miss you."
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