Teen Struck by Lightning When He Tried to Capture It on Video
Ethan Riozzi-Bodine, 16, was recording a storm on a New Jersey beach.
— -- A teenager was trying to document lightning striking the ocean in Bradley Beach, New Jersey when the lightning struck him, instead, in a terrifying moment caught on video.
Ethan Riozzi-Bodine, 16, was riding his bike home Monday evening when "it started down-pouring and my bike chain popped off," he told ABC News. He added that he "tried to get out of the storm in a little overhang" by the beach. That's when he took his phone out to capture "a video of lightning hitting the ocean."
"A lightning bolt hit the ground, maybe 10 to 15 feet away from me, and I got shocked," he said. The shock went through his legs, up his chest and out through his hands, documented in the video as his phone shakes.
"My whole body was being vibrated," Ethan said. "The only reason I didn't pass out or die is because I was holding onto my bike. The rubber...grounded me."
Ethan went to the emergency room and was told he "was fine."
"They said if I wasn't holding onto my bike I probably wouldn't be here," he added.
"I just think he's extremely lucky," Ethan's mother, Elaine Riozzi-Bodine, told ABC News. "I'm just blessed it had a happy ending. It could have very easily been a completely different story. I'm just very fortunate that he's OK."
"It was definitely really scary," Ethan said. "But looking back on it now, knowing everything was OK, I can say it was pretty cool."
Ethan says he's glad he has the video that documents the experience.
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