Fifteen-year-old Yassin Khalifa was struck by lightning this week while sheltering under a tree during a sudden thunderstorm in Central Park’s East Meadow. He was unconscious for several minutes and later taken to New York‑Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center with second‑degree burns on his neck and leg,

After enjoying a picnic with his friends near the East Meadow, a severe thunderstorm set in, according to WABC. Khalifa told the outlet that he decided to ride out the storm under a tree, which he admitted "might not have been the best idea."