The Evans County teen struck by lightning Wednesday at Pinewood Christian Academy remains in stable, but critical condition, said his aunt Linda Bragg.
Dalton Raulerson, 14, was directly hit by a lightning bolt that seemed to come out of nowhere Wednesday. The bolt, which went undetected by lightning monitors, knocked eight other students to the ground, said Evans County EMS Director Mark Bird.
The students were on the school's track for football practice, when the lightning bolt struck sometime shortly before 4 p.m., apparently preceding a severe electrical storm that blew through the area, knocking out power lines, uprooting trees and causing several automobile accidents in Evans, Candler, Bulloch and surrounding counties.
"The sun was shining at the time," Bragg said. "The lightning monitors did not indicate (a danger)."
Pinewood Christian Academy staff performed CPR on the teen, and an Evans County First Responder, Robbie Jernigan, was on the scene to administer further aid, Bird said.
The quick reaction by school staff and Jernigan saved the boy's life, he said.
Raulerson was taken to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah.
"He is holding his own," Bragg said. "Doctors are very hopeful." Raulerson is still sedated and has a fever that "goes up and down," and "it is a matter of time to see how much damage was done," she said.
Bragg said the Raulerson's family is "thankful for all the prayers" that have been sent for the teen.
Dalton Raulerson, 14, was directly hit by a lightning bolt that seemed to come out of nowhere Wednesday. The bolt, which went undetected by lightning monitors, knocked eight other students to the ground, said Evans County EMS Director Mark Bird.
The students were on the school's track for football practice, when the lightning bolt struck sometime shortly before 4 p.m., apparently preceding a severe electrical storm that blew through the area, knocking out power lines, uprooting trees and causing several automobile accidents in Evans, Candler, Bulloch and surrounding counties.
"The sun was shining at the time," Bragg said. "The lightning monitors did not indicate (a danger)."
Pinewood Christian Academy staff performed CPR on the teen, and an Evans County First Responder, Robbie Jernigan, was on the scene to administer further aid, Bird said.
The quick reaction by school staff and Jernigan saved the boy's life, he said.
Raulerson was taken to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah.
"He is holding his own," Bragg said. "Doctors are very hopeful." Raulerson is still sedated and has a fever that "goes up and down," and "it is a matter of time to see how much damage was done," she said.
Bragg said the Raulerson's family is "thankful for all the prayers" that have been sent for the teen.