Florida Man, 20, Killed by a Storm's Very First Lightning Strike

The Disney community is mourning the loss of one of its workers after a lightning bolt struck a man on Tuesday evening in Florida. Here are the details of the incident.

Lightning Strike Claims Life of College Student in Florida

Tragedy unfolded in Celebration, Florida, on Tuesday evening when the first observed lightning event of a developing thunderstorm struck a 20-year-old and killed him. The lightning strike happened before any thunder was detected, meaning the victim had no audible warning that danger was lurking.

The victim was near a hotel in downtown Celebration when he was hit. Witnesses found the man lying unresponsive on a walking path just after the lightning strike was observed in the vicinity. According to data from the AccuLightning Network, the bolt was recorded at 6:32 pm EDT.

Local officials identified the victim as Matthew Jenkins. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office said that bystanders performed CPR at the scene in an attempt to revive Jenkins. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.

The young man had recently moved to the area from Maryland to begin work with the Disney College Program. This program offers paid internship experience for college students and recent graduates. The participants live and work at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Most internships last between four and eight months.