Beloved school band member dies after possible lightning strike, authorities say

An 11th grader at a Hollywood high school died Wednesday evening after a possible lightning strike sent him into cardiac arrest, authorities say.

Around 5:30 p.m., Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue responded to the area around 650 SW 67th Ave. where they found the student, who attended McArthur High School in Hollywood, unresponsive underneath a tree, authorities say.

Fire rescue treated him for cardiac arrest and transported him to Memorial Regional Hospital.

"We don't have confirmation yet, but it does appear as though the patient was struck by lightning with burn wounds noted to the patient's chest and inner thighs," Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue Division Chief Scott Gunn said in an email to the Miami Herald.

McArthur High School principal Mark Howard sent an email Thursday to staff and families confirming the teen's death.

"Though I'm unable to share additional details regarding the student's untimely death, I offer my deepest condolences to student's family and loved ones, teachers and classmates. He will be missed," Howard wrote.

A GoFundMe page identifies him as 16-year-old Cameron Day, a dedicated musician for McArthur's Herd of Sound band.

"He was a bright light and sweet soul who touched the lives of so many," wrote Jessica Santos. "His passion for music, leadership, and unwavering love for his bandmates and band, McArthur's Herd of Sound made him an integral part of our family."

McArthur High School will be offering grief counseling "for as long as it is necessary," Howard said.

Lightning capital Florida has seen four lightning-related deaths so far in 2024, the most out of any state, according to the National Weather Service. If Cameron's death is confirmed to be caused by a lighting strike, he would be the fifth this year.

In June, 19-year-old Ethan Lawrence died after being struck by lightning in Vista View Park in Davie. Less than a month later, four teens were struck by lightning while they were hiding under a banyan tree in downtown St. Petersburg . One of the teens later died from her injuries .

Lightning strikes remain quite rare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the chances of being struck by lightning in any given year are less than 1 in a million, and nearly 90% of those struck survive.

That said, Florida has a much higher frequency of lightning strikes than most places, earning it the title of "lightning capital," according to the CDC. In the last 50 years, more than 2,000 people in the state have sustained injuries from lightning.