A family visit to St. Augustine Beach Pier turned nearly tragic when a lightning strike injured three people from the same family. As reported by Action News Jax, Jayme Schuyler and her elderly parents were struck by lightning this past Saturday. The family had been enjoying the pier, but as they noticed lightning strikes approaching, they attempted to leave but could not escape in time.
“I all the sudden felt a ton of bricks hit me in the head. So I got struck, but then it kind of knocked me sideways. And then I looked over at my dad, and my dad was on the ground," Jayme Schuyler recounted, as she described the harrowing moment to Action News Jax. Her father, Philip "Sparky" Schuyler, who had jokingly taken his nickname after the incident, sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to a hospital in Gainesville. He was later placed in the Trauma ICU. Jayme refused treatment, choosing to stay with her mother, Diane Schuyler, who has dementia and mobility issues, and was, fortunately, unaffected by the strike.
The Bayliss couple from North Carolina also experienced the sheer force of nature's unpredictability at the same location. Stephanie and Kelly Bayliss were struck by lightning in what was their first visit to St. Augustine. "There was no rain or thunder," Stephanie told News4JAX, describing the unexpectedly quick turn of events. They had noticed dark clouds gathering and were in the process of leaving, but before they could evacuate, the lightning made its swift and dangerous descent.
In response to these incidents, St. John's County officials are taking action to improve safety measures, including the expansion of the lightning detection systems to protect beachgoers. As survivors recount their stories and stress the importance of caution during stormy weather, the community hopes that enhanced safety features will prevent similar events in the future. "“Even after all this happened, he said, ‘I don’t care what happens after this. I’m thankful to be alive.’ That’s what he keeps saying. ‘I’m so thankful to be alive,'" Jamie Schuyler shared her father's sentiments, according to WSVN. All individuals involved in the incident are expected to make a complete recovery.
