PALM COAST, Fla. – A Flagler County mother says she and her 3-month-old daughter were struck by lightning inside their home during an afternoon storm last month.
Anastasia Gonzalez told News 6 it happened on July 26 while she was home alone with her baby, Oakley. She and her husband Preston were about to start a new chapter for their family in their brand new Palm Coast home.
Gonzalez said her phone was plugged into the wall when she tried to take a video of the storm.
“All of a sudden, our house got struck by lightning,” she said. “We flew backwards.”
Gonzalez called 911 frantically moments later. In the call, she can be heard telling the operator she was holding her baby when they were struck. She also reported smelling something burning, while the baby could be heard crying in the background.
“Her mouth was open, she wasn’t breathing, her hair was standing straight up,” Gonzalez said. “I just started shaking her, and I’m like ‘please no, please no.’”
The family showed News 6 damage they say was left behind inside the home, including debris from a beam they said was affected by the strike.
Gonzalez said the family relocated to an Airbnb while repairs are being made.
The family says they soon found another reason to be grateful.
According to Gonzalez, doctors had flagged concerns about Oakley’s skull during pregnancy, but results from a recent CT scan in the last week showed the sutures were open and the baby did not need surgery.
“So, I mean, we just take it as the lightning strike was like a gift from God, basically,” she said.
This entire ordeal, Gonzalez says, has given the couple a new perspective.
“I’m just happy for every day that I get to hold her and spend time with [Oakley] and her sister,” she said. “We love her so much, and we couldn’t imagine life without her.”
The National Weather Service warns people to avoid using items connected to electrical outlets during thunderstorms.
The family told News 6 they hope to be able to move back into their home within about a week.