ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A Lake Nona resident is recovering at Orlando Regional Medical Center after being struck by lightning right outside her home.
Tuesday, Rebecca Soto was painting her nails and preparing her outfit for the Beyonce concert Wednesday at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
Her husband, Lauro Soto, said that right after Rebecca Soto showed him her outfit, she took their dog Drake out for a walk.
“It had to be like five or 10 seconds. As soon as she stepped outside, I heard the loudest boom that I’ve ever heard in my life,” Lauro Soto said.
The noise was so loud, Lauro Soto said alarms went off in their apartment complex.
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He went to ask his wife if she heard the boom, and that’s when he found her lying face-down on the sidewalk.
He immediately called 911, while performing CPR simultaneously.
Lauro Soto said strangers and neighbors rushed over to help him with his wife while they awaited paramedics.
“Somewhere in between them picking her up and the ambulance ride, her heart had stopped, and they were able to defibrillate her and bring her back,” Lauro Soto said.
He said he was in shock and only operating off of adrenaline.
She was rushed to the nearest emergency room, and Lauro Soto followed behind in a car with his neighbor.
Lauro Soto sat in the waiting room with the worst-case scenarios plaguing his mind.
“She looked lifeless when I was working on her,” Lauro Soto said.
After Rebecca Soto stabilized, she was transferred to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where doctors ran various tests.
Eventually, she was able to open her eyes, speak and hold tight to her husband’s hand.
She has been experiencing memory loss issues, but Lauro Soto said it is clear she’s progressing.
“When we told her that she missed the Beyonce concert, she was devastated,” Lauro Soto said.
Of course, she is happy to be alive and surrounded by the people she loves most.
“I won’t take that for granted,” Lauro Soto said.
He said Rebecca could be released Saturday morning or as early as Friday night.
The hospital is out of network for their insurance, so the medical bills are significantly higher.
The family created a GoFundMe and is asking for donations to help pay for the medical expenses.
You can donate here.
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