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In a twist of fate, a Thanksgiving getaway to Peru turned into an ordeal that James Fernandez, an eighth-grade science teacher from Palm Harbor Middle School, will never forget. While exploring the breathtaking landscapes of the Cusco province, a lightning strike brought him perilously close to losing his life.
Fernandez, who hails from Pinellas County, Florida, had embarked on this trip with his wife, their nine-month-old son, and family friends. It was meant to be a time of relaxation and adventure. However, a planned afternoon outing for the men took an unexpected and dangerous turn.
“We thought a little boys’ excursion would be fun. The husbands decided to go mountain biking,” recounted Fernandez, reflecting on the events that unfolded. “That’s when things took a dramatic turn.”
During their biking adventure, an arc from a lightning strike unexpectedly hit Fernandez, marking the beginning of a harrowing journey. Following this life-threatening incident, Fernandez spent nearly four months receiving medical care, both in Peru and back home in the United States.
The men went mountain biking in the Cusco province of Peru when the arc from a lightning strike hit Fernandez.
“I don’t remember the lightning strike itself. I just remember waking up in the grass. I remember feeling like I couldn’t breathe. I remember, not being able to move my arms or legs, telling the guide that we were with to not move me, not touch me, and go call for help,” Fernandez said.
The bolt directly hit Yuri Botehlo, Fernandez’s friend. He died shortly after.
Back in the City of Cusco, Fernandez’s wife, Alexis, told 8 On Your Side that concern grew as hours passed without contact, and Botehlo’s wife became concerned.
“I was like, it’s probably no service, and she’s like, I don’t have a good feeling about this. And so, by the time it got dark out, she was like, ‘We need to figure this out, we haven’t heard from them,’” Alexis Fernandez said.
With the help of a local guide, they tried to reach the biking company but couldn’t get through.
Fernandez’s wife then got a call from a regional hospital asking her if she was, in fact, his wife, and once she confirmed, they asked her to come to the hospital immediately.
According to Fernandez’s wife, the hospital staff did not mention Botehlo’s husband.
When Fernandez’s husband arrived, he was there, but Botehlo was not.
Though Fernandez survived, the strike left him with a spinal cord injury, paralyzing him from the waist down.
“This has changed not only my life, but my friends, my family, my kids, everybody around me,” Fernandez said.
For his wife, the reality of what lies ahead has begun to settle in.
“I realized what this injury can be and like how many of those adventures have now are no longer on the table, like surfing, wind surfing, kite surfing, and mountain biking,” Alexis Fernandez said.
Still, she says her view of her husband hasn’t changed.
“I didn’t take these vows to be James’s wife because of all the sports that we do and all the activities we do, right? Alexis Fernandez said. “He’s still just as resilient and caring and kind.”
At their Clearwater home, stacks of cards from students, colleagues, and community members fill the dining room table, marking a visible reminder of the support surrounding the family.
“I’m just really grateful for my wife, for my family, my friends, for my community. It’s really helped me keep a positive spirit,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez says he hopes to return to the classroom, but it likely won’t happen this school year.