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Teen struck by lightning inside home after opening refrigerator
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A teenage girl is lucky to be alive after a lightning bolt struck her while she was at home.
A Texas family took shelter in their pantry on Memorial Day when a tornado warning was issued in the area. After the warning had expired, the family emerged to enjoy the rest of their holiday. Minutes later, daughter Macie Martinez opened the refrigerator to get a snack.
That’s when the lightning bolt struck the house.
On the family’s GoFundMe page, Macie’s mother, Misty Villareal, describes the frightening ordeal in detail. She said she heard Macie scream “the loudest, most gut-wrenching scream I've ever heard.”
After her father removed Macie from the refrigerator, the parents held their daughter while she shook and screamed uncontrollably. Because the power was out, the parents could not see well enough to determine how their daughter had been injured.
Macie was taken to Lakeway Regional Medical Center where the family learned she had suffered secondary electrocution and temporary paralysis. The incident also left Macie with nerve damage and signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Even though Macie is still recovering from her injuries and the home was heavily damaged by the lightning strike, the family says they feel blessed by the support of the community.
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