On Sunday (23 June), tragedy unfolded in the United States (US) as 59-year-old Patrick Dispoto lost his life while warning beachgoers about an approaching storm at Seaside Park Beach, New Jersey.
Accompanied by his girlfriend, Ruth Fussell, Mr Dispoto noticed the storm gathering and they promptly headed back to their truck for safety.
Source: Ruth Fussell/WABC via CNN
However, Patrick felt compelled to return to the beach to alert kids in the water of the imminent danger.
According to WABC-TV, he told Ms Fussell:
I’m just going to warn these kids because the sky is going to open. I’m just going to warn these kids – one minute.
Those were his final words to his girlfriend before leaving to warn the beachgoers.
Source: Seaside Park on Facebook, for illustration purposes only
After waiting for Mr Dispoto for 15 minutes, Ms Fussell went to check on him and found him lying face down in the sand.
A man was standing over him and asked Ms Fussell to call 911.
She administered mouth-to-mouth while the man’s wife performed chest compressions on Mr Dispoto.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived and transported him to the local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Quoting Seaside Park Police Sergeant Andrew Casole, CNN reported that the cause of death was an “accidental death caused by lightning strike”.
Source: Unsplash, for illustration purposes only
Ms Fussell said that Mr Dispoto never passed on opportunities to help make other people’s lives easier.
So, his last act of heroism was his ultimate, and that’s my Patrick Dispoto.
Just a few days after Mr Dispoto’s passing, Seaside Park installed a lightning warning system.
Source: Seaside Park on Facebook
The system was purchased in April this year and was scheduled to be put in place on Wednesday (26 June).
The Seaside Park Borough Administrator emphasised that the installation was not in response to the tragedy but something the park had been planning for a while.
According to the National Lightning Safety Council, this marks the third death due to lightning strikes in the US this year.
Also read: Woman In Colombia Killed By Lightning Strike, Public Advised To Avoid Beach During Rainy Weather
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Featured image adapted from Ruth Fussell/WABC via CNN and Hemera Technologies on Canva, for illustration purposes only.
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