Update: Teens Recovering from lightning shock, one remains in the hospital
Jun 28, 2024, 8:03 PM
Update: Teens Recovering from lightning shock, one remains in the hospital
SALINA, Utah — All but one of the teens hospitalized after a lightning strike have been sent home, according to the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office.
In a message to KSL TV, Sheriff Nathan Curtis confirmed all but one of the teens were released from the hospital. A young woman remained at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City for an MRI and follow-up testing.
In total, some 50 teens were shocked by a lightning bolt in eastern Sevier County on Thursday during a church trek hiking activity.
According to Curtis, seven teens were hospitalized with two flown to hospitals in northern Utah. KSL TV confirmed one of the teens was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital Miller Family Campus in Lehi, and the other to the Salt Lake City campus.
According to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office, the teens escaped life-threatening injuries and no serious burns were reported.
“I think I’ve had so much adrenaline just because I want to be the mom of the group and make sure everyone’s okay, but now as we’ve had a few hours to decompress, we’re just feeling more and more” Alyssa Rosquist, 17, said in an interview with KSL TV Thursday evening. “But also I’m at least feeling super lucky.”
And luck may have been on their side. It appeared no one was directly struck by the lightning bolt.
The Salt Lake Office of the National Weather Service was closely tracking the powerful thunderstorm on Thursday.
