CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A fun family day at North Myrtle Beach turned into a terrifying experience for a Charlotte woman who said she was struck by a lightning bolt that appeared to come out of nowhere.
Lindsey Van Wingerden said she was enjoying a family beach vacation when a storm unexpectedly moved through.
Just minutes before, Van Wingerden said the weather at the time was sunny and perfect. In the far distance, she said she noticed some dark clouds. Then the wind quickly picked up and a light sprinkle started to fall. Then came the lightning.
“It was the biggest zap, shock that you could ever imagine," Van Wingerden said.
When the lightning bolt hit, she said she immediately screamed and asked her husband to get their two young children to safety. Then she was rushed to the hospital and treated as a trauma 1 patient.
“Muscle aches, numbness, tingling, ear pain, headaches,” Van Wingerden said.
Doctors in the area say on average they only see about two people a year who are struck by lightning. And the recovery is typically ongoing.
“You can look at me and be like ‘you look ok’, but it’s what you feel inside that’s different,” Van Wingerden said.
Moving forward, she expects a 2-3 week recovery from symptoms. After that doctors say they can determine if there may be any other long term effects.
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