Philadelphia man killed by lightning strike in Florida
SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia man was killed after being hit by lightning while on a beach in Florida.
Authorities say 35-year-old Lamar Rayfield was struck around 5:30 p.m. Friday while on Satellite Beach. He was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries.
Rayfield was playing corn hole with friends Sal Kucuk and Andre Bauldock on the beach when the showers and lightning started.
The friends tell Action News they thought they were safe because they were not in the water. But all three were struck by lightning.
"I saw it go right through him, the sparks went out. They both, at the same time, collapsed. It got me, too," Kucuk said.
Kucuk remained conscious, but Bauldock and Rayfield fell to the ground after being struck.
Bauldock soon got back up, but he couldn't remember what happened.
"When I came back to, I was already up and asking 'What's going on?' They said, 'You got hit by lighting.' I'm asking, 'What do you mean,' because I'm moving fine at that point," Bauldock said.
An off-duty life guard and a good Samaritan tried to revive Rayfield with CPR, but to no avail.
Rayfield's friends say the Philadelphia native was a father, music engineer, producer and songwriter.
On Saturday, his friends listened to his music and wore Batman shirts in his memory.
"This is a family, that's what made it harder, he was like a brother," Bauldock added.
His friends are speaking out in hopes others will take it seriously when they see lightning.
"Just be careful, you see that rain, you see that lightning, go home. Go home," Kucuk said.
The friends say they plan to release lanterns from the beach Sunday in Rayfield's memory.
They say Rayfield's family plans to join them.
Florida's rainy season, with its frequent afternoon storms, presents a lightning threat, particularly for beachgoers.
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