SIESTA KEY, Fla. — A teen visiting from Texas was struck by lightning on Siesta Key Thursday while he was at the beach with his family.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said Jacob Brewer, 14, and his family were visiting from Fort Worth, Texas. Deputies said Jacob's mother, Barbara, heard a loud bang, and when she turned she saw her son on the ground with a hole in his shirt.
A nearby deputy ran to help the family and started giving the teen CPR.
Jacob was taken to the hospital, where he continues to fight for his life, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help him and his family with medical expenses.
Earlier this summer, two men – who trying to leave Clearwater Beach when a storm rolled in – were also struck by lightning.
Florida State University said the Tampa Bay area is a frequent spot for lightning strikes in Florida, and the chance of being struck by lightning in the Sunshine State is 1 in 3,000 over the course of a lifetime. The National Weather Service says the odds nationally are 1 in 15,300 over an 80-year lifetime.
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