Overview
- A 20-year-old man, later identified as Matthew Eric Jenkins of Shelby Township, Michigan, was found unresponsive after lightning struck near a walking path behind a hotel in downtown Celebration on Tuesday.
- Bystanders, including Felipe Costa and a woman, immediately performed CPR until first responders arrived and Jenkins was taken to Celebration Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
- Jenkins had moved to Central Florida about a week earlier to begin the Disney College Program, and his father has thanked those who tried to help.
- Osceola County investigators confirmed the death but say the medical examiner must determine the official cause before detectives close the probe.
- Witnesses and local coverage stressed the danger of Florida storms, and the incident may prompt renewed attention to public guidance on where and how to shelter during lightning events.