Home / Disasters and Accidents / Florida Teacher Survives Lightning, Breaks Neck in Peru
Florida Teacher Survives Lightning, Breaks Neck in Peru
3 Dec, 2025
Summary
- A Florida teacher survived a lightning strike that killed his friend.
- He then crashed his bike, breaking his neck, at high altitude.
- He faces a costly $300,000 transport back to the US for treatment.
A vacation in Peru turned nightmarish for Florida teacher James Fernandez when lightning struck him and his friend, Yuri Botelho, on November 26. Botelho was killed instantly, while Fernandez was knocked unconscious. Despite being severely injured and suffering a broken neck, Fernandez remained on his bike, continuing downhill until he crashed. This collision occurred at nearly 14,000 feet above sea level, exacerbating his spinal cord damage.
Fernandez, who teaches at Palm Harbor Middle School, sustained multiple neck fractures and a burn on his foot, believed to be the point where the lightning exited his body. He has undergone multiple procedures and is currently sedated and intubated in a Peruvian hospital. His friends and family are actively fundraising, as transporting him back to a Miami trauma center could cost as much as $300,000.
Friends describe Fernandez as an experienced rider and a beloved educator, husband, and father of two young sons. The community has rallied to support him, with over $125,000 raised through a GoFundMe campaign. The ultimate extent of his mobility remains uncertain, pending his return to the United States for comprehensive medical assessment and rehabilitation.
