Michigan Man Killed by Lightning After Florida Move

A Michigan family is dealing with an unimaginable loss after a 20-year-old man was killed by lightning just days after moving to Florida to begin an exciting new chapter in his life.

Matthew Eric Jenkins, of Shelby Township, had recently moved to Florida to take part in the Disney College Program.

Michigan Man Found Unresponsive After Lightning Strike

According to MLive, around 6:25 Tuesday evening, someone spotted Jenkins unresponsive on a walking path behind a hotel in Celebration. A lightning strike had hit the area around the same time.

People nearby immediately jumped in and started performing CPR while they waited for help to arrive. Jenkins was taken to the hospital, but sadly, he didn’t make it.

The medical examiner later confirmed that the lightning strike caused his death. It was ruled a tragic accident.

Michigan Man Had Just Moved to Florida for Disney College Program

Here’s the part that makes this even harder to process. Jenkins had moved to Florida only a week earlier to begin the Disney College Program. Think about that for a minute. He was only 20 years old, and this new chapter of his life was just getting started.

He had packed up, left Michigan, and headed south to start what should have been an incredible new chapter in his life. Instead, his parents received the kind of phone call no parent should ever have to get.

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Disney said Jenkins had just begun his journey with the program and would always be remembered as part of the Disney community.

Twenty years old, one week into a brand new adventure, and then something this random happens. Just awful.

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