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Wild Video Captures Lightning Striking Congressional Staffer

A staffer for Rep. Nicole Malliotakis was struck by lightning as he walked to his car on Staten Island.

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A doorbell camera captured the moment a congressional staffer was struck by lightning as he walked to his car. The shocking footage shows Thomas Fahmy, who works for the Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, being struck on his foot as he walks while holding an umbrella. The video shows him fall after the strike, get back up, then walk to his neighbor’s home to take shelter until an ambulance arrived. Miraculously, Fahmy survived the strike without suffering burns—though he said he felt tingling, numbness, a burning sensation, and severe pain in both of his feet. Malliotakis, who represents Staten Island in Congress, expressed relief in a statement that Fahmy, who lives and works on Staten Island in Malliotakis’ local office, survived the strike. For his part, Fahmy said he spent one night in the hospital and, after being discharged, went to buy a Mega Millions lottery ticket.

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