Florida woman recounts horror story of being struck by LIGHTNING while walking her dog that left her ‘dead’ and her fight to survive
Florida woman tells horror story of lightning strike while walking her dog that left her ‘dead’ and her fight for survival
- Rebecca Soto was struck by lightning while walking her dog and was found flat on the ground by her husband
- Paramedics had to use a defibrillator to revive her
- She now tells the story and says how grateful she is for everything
A Florida woman has told the horror story of being struck by lightning while walking her dog, causing her heart to stop and leaving her fighting for her life.
Lake Nona resident Rebecca Soto was struck by lightning last month while walking her dog Drake and was found flat on the ground by her husband Lauro.
Soto was unconscious and her heart had stopped when the ambulance arrived. Paramedics had to use a defibrillator to revive her.
The incident left her in hospital for a week with burns and some memory loss.
She was on a ventilator and underwent therapeutic hypothermia to preserve her brain function.
Florida woman Rebecca Soto has told the horror story of being struck by lightning while walking her dog, causing her heart to stop and leaving her fighting for her life
The Lake Nona resident was struck by lightning last month while walking her dog, Drake, and was found flat on the ground by her husband, Lauro (pictured right)
Soto was unconscious and her heart had stopped when the ambulance arrived. Paramedics had to use a defibrillator to revive her
Her husband said at the time, “Somewhere between the pick-up and the ambulance ride, her heart had stopped and they were able to defibrillate her and bring her back.”
A month later, Soto relived her ordeal with death and said how grateful she is for everything.
In an interview with Click on OrlandoSoto said, “I keep coming back to the word grateful – grateful and very fortunate to be where I am and to have healed as much as I have in the last three or four weeks.
“It’s an amazing thing to realize and think about. Just like that thought of, “I died,” that’s pretty tough. That’s a lot to process.’
Speaking about her recovery from the memory loss, Soto said she looked at photos and friends and family told her stories.
The incident left her in hospital for a week with burns and some memory loss. She was on a ventilator and underwent therapeutic hypothermia to preserve her brain function
Soto, pictured with her husband and a family member, was placed on life support and underwent therapeutic hypothermia to preserve her brain function
Her miraculous recovery has allowed her to perform daily tasks such as driving, playing outside with her dog Drake (pictured) and returning to work.
“I’ve seen pictures, heard stories and everything, and through it all I felt very grateful that I could be here where I am,” she explained.
Her miraculous recovery has allowed her to resume daily tasks such as driving, playing outside with her dog and returning to work.
But while her recovery has been a source of joy for the couple, her medical costs have created a financial burden.
The pair have launched a GoFundMe page to pay her expenses. The page reads: ‘Medical costs are piling up and Lauro and Becca’s insurance has no connection with the hospital where they were taken by ambulance. It will also require ongoing care, medication and therapy to return her to some sort of normality.
‘Will you join us in supporting Becca and Lauro during this period by supporting them with a financial gift?’
The fund has currently raised $37,328 and has set a goal of $60,000.