Two kids reunited with mom after parents hit by lightning in Sanibel; father still unconscious
The children of a couple who were struck by lightning on a Sanibel Island beach Saturday witnessed their parents being hit but were not injured.
Hospital information on the condition of the man and woman who were hit was not available.
Friends of the couple posting about the incident on social media said the woman is conscious and had regained mobility but that the man had not regained consciousness and suffered extensive injuries.
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A report from the Sanibel Police Department said the children, ages 2 and 5, were brought to officers by an unknown man and woman and identified as the children of the stricken couple.
When police arrived at the scene of the strike, behind Sanibel Beach Club on Nerita Street, a bystander was performing CPR on the man. Police took over CPR and used an automated external defibrillator until Sanibel Fire and EMS arrived.
Because there was still heavy lightning in the area of the beach police placed the children in the back of a cruiser.
Their mother, who was alert and in the back of an ambulance, asked for her children and they were reunited, police said.
On July 18, 17-year-old Walker Bethune, of Georgia, was struck by lightening on a Marco Island Beach while on vacation with his family.
Bethune's father performed CPR until emergency medical services arrived. He is receiving care at University of Miami Health Jackson Memorial Ryder Burn & Trauma Center, according to the family's CaringBridge website.
The website allows friends and family to stay up-to-date on Bethune's condition.
As of Monday, the family asked on the website for people to pray for Bethune's brain swelling to decrease and be eliminated, as well as total body healing.
Connect with breaking news reporters Michael Braun: MichaelBraunNP (Facebook), @MichaelBraunNP (Twitter) or mbraun@news-press.com and Kaitlin Greenockle: @kaitlinroseg (Twitter) or kgreenockle@news-press.com
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