⚡ 20-YEAR-OLD DISNEY COLLEGE PROGRAM PARTICIPANT DIES AFTER APPARENT LIGHTNING STRIKE DAYS AFTER MOVING TO FLORIDA

A young man who had only recently moved to Florida to begin what was supposed to be an exciting new chapter has tragically died following an apparent lightning strike.

Matthew Eric Jenkins, 20, of Shelby Township, Michigan, was found unresponsive Tuesday evening along a walking path behind a H๏τel in Celebration, Florida, according to authorities.

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to the area at approximately 6:25 p.m. after witnesses reported seeing lightning strike nearby.

Jenkins had reportedly been running in a park near the Celebration H๏τel when a sudden thunderstorm moved into the area. According to information contained in the medical examiner’s report, Jenkins sought shelter beneath a tree as the storm intensified.

Witnesses said they heard a powerful lightning strike. Moments later, they discovered Jenkins collapsed on the ground. ⚡🌧️

People nearby immediately rushed to help. One woman began performing CPR while others contacted emergency responders and waited for them to arrive.

Jenkins was transported to AdventHealth Celebration, where medical personnel continued extensive efforts to save his life. Sadly, he was pronounced ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.

Hospital staff reportedly observed what appeared to be lightning-related exit wounds on Jenkins’ feet, adding to the evidence surrounding the apparent strike. However, officials said detectives are still awaiting the medical examiner’s official determination of the cause of death.

The tragedy is especially heartbreaking because Jenkins had only just begun his new life in Florida.

His father said Matthew had arrived in the state the previous week after leaving Michigan to participate in the Disney College Program. At just 20 years old, he had been starting a new adventure filled with possibilities, new experiences, and hopes for the future.

Instead, his family received devastating news only days after his arrival. 💔

The Walt Disney Company released a statement expressing sorrow over Jenkins’ pᴀssing.

“We are deeply saddened by the pᴀssing of Matthew,” the company said, adding that although he had only recently begun his Disney College Program journey, he would always be remembered as part of the Disney community.

For those who witnessed what happened, the response was immediate. Strangers who had never met Matthew stepped forward during an unimaginable emergency, trying desperately to keep him alive until professional help arrived.

His family has expressed graтιтude to those people who stopped and attempted to save him.

The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said detectives are waiting for the medical examiner to make an official determination regarding Jenkins’ cause of death.

For his loved ones, however, the loss is already immeasurable.

Matthew had traveled from Michigan to Florida carrying the excitement of a young person beginning something new. He had only been there for days when a sudden summer storm brought a heartbreaking end to a future that had just begun.

His family, friends, and the Disney community are now left to remember a 20-year-old whose Florida journey was far shorter than anyone could have imagined. 🕊️💔🙏