
(LibertySociety.com) – A 59-year-old man from New Jersey died after being struck by lightning at a time when he was warning children playing at a beach against the thunderstorm.
Patrick Dispoto was enjoying the weekend holiday on J Street Beach with his girlfriend, Ruth Fussel when the weather took a severe turn. The couple rushed to their car, and Dispoto asked Fussel to remain there before he went back to the beach to warn other kids playing near the sea, with no lifeguard on duty.
According to Fussel, they went to the beach on a hot day and dipped their feet in the water to beat the heat when they saw a dark line of clouds on one side.
They ran back to their truck, where Dispoto asked her to stay safe in the vehicle. Although Fussel urged him not to go back to the beach, he yelled, “one minute,” and rushed to warn the children who were already packing to leave the beach.
When Dispoto did not return to the truck, Fussel ran towards the beach and found him lying there, asking for help. The Seaside Park Police performed CPR on him at the scene before taking him to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
His autopsy report confirmed that he died of the lightning accident, although no one in the park witnessed the tragedy.
Dispoto’s death happened at a time when the NJ was already preparing to install advanced lighting detection systems that could warn people beforehand of the possibility of upcoming storms.
Jim Rankin, the lifeguard captain of Seaside Park, stated that the beach is the last place anyone should be during a thunderstorm, and there are some signs that show an approaching thunderstorm, which should keep everyone away from the beeches.
Meanwhile, Dispoto’s girlfriend praised her partner for the heroic act, claiming that he was well-known in the community for his selfless behavior and that he lost his life while also trying to save others from a potential tragedy.
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