SALINA, Okla. — 2 News Oklahoma heard exclusively from the man who gave CPR to a girl struck by lightning at Blue Hole Park in Mayes County.
Four girls were struck by lightning last Saturday morning. Unfortunately, the Grand River Dam Authority confirmed one girl died. The others were released from the hospital.
Blue Hole Park, east of Salina, was filled with people swimming and floating on their last days of summer. It was all about having fun. Some view it as where the unthinkable happened – when it should have been about fun.
As quick as a camera flash, Jorge Orozco jumped into action. It’s also how he described the lightning bolt that struck and killed a teenage girl he tried to save.
“When it first happened, I was cold and quiet,” he said. ” I was just thinking about it – if we could have done something more.”
Jorge says that girl that died was with three other girls around the same age. One couldn’t feel her legs from the waist down, another needed CPR, and the third didn’t seem to be impacted.
“They were mostly in shock. They were just asking how the girl we were working on was,” he said.
Jorge is CPR-certified and was at the watering hole for the first time with his family. He says it was raining hard earlier, but it stopped. That’s when the girls went in the water, and lightning started.
“When this happened, it was just a freak of nature,” Jorge said. “The rain had already passed. It was a tiny drizzle.”
Jorge wants everyone to know he tried, as did the paramedics who came 10 minutes later.
“Hopefully, the family gets a little closure knowing people were helping to bring the girl back,” Jorge said. “Just be thankful for every day that we have. This really opened up my mind to living in the moment.”
Blue Hole Park has a sign on a tree front and center saying, “Swim at your own risk.”
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