Boy Struck By Lightning At Soccer Tournament In Kane County; 'When It Hit, He Blacked Out'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A teenager was rushed to the hospital Sunday after a lightning strike during a soccer tournament in Kane County.
Organizers of the Alianza de Futbol tournament warned people to get in their cars and take shelter when thunderstorms moved in Sunday morning at the Stuart Sports Complex in Montgomery, near Aurora.
A teenage boy was injured when lightning struck the ground nearby as he was running for cover.
"We were sitting in the car, and the rain was coming down, and we saw three kids running," said Rafhael Moreno. "As they were running, lightning hit."
Ruben Chavez, captain of one of the teams in the tournament, said lightning "hit hard" right in front of the boy who collapsed.
"He fell down, and then he tried to get back up," Chavez said.
Moreno said he rushed over to the teen to see if he was okay. He said the boy was conscious, and managed to tell him "when it hit he blacked out."
"He tried to get up, and he just said everything went black," Moreno said.
An ambulance arrived quickly and took the boy to Rush Copley Medical Center.
Chavez said most people were warned before the lightning hit.
"I was instructed to stay in our vehicle," he said.
Moreno said organizers and police both went around the tournament to tell people to take shelter.
Chavez said he believes tournament organizers did everything they should have for safety. He also said the teen who was indirectly struck was running for shelter at the time.
Moreno said police told him the boy was recovering at the hospital and being checked for a concussion.
The tournament was postponed due to the weather on Sunday. It was rescheduled for Saturday.
