A 76-year-old man, struck by lightning while golfing at the Clearwater Country Club on Friday, is now recovering at Tampa General Hospital.
Police have now confirmed the victim is Frank Sink, 76.
Clearwater Fire and Rescue responded to the Country Club shortly after 11 a.m. on Friday.
Frank Sink, of Clearwater, was on the seventh hole of the golf course when he was struck seconds after stepping off his golf cart, Clearwater Police said.
Walter Staats, Sink's golf partner, was no more than 25 yards away when he said he heard the bolt struck.
"It was an enormous crack," Staats said. "“It was just that one boom, that was it.”
He said he looked over to find Sink on the ground.
"He was not moving," Staats said. "Kind of bluish like. Mouth Half Open. Not breathing.”
Staats and another man in the group immediately went over to Sink to begin CPR. That's when they saw Sink's bluetooth headphones had been blown right out of his ears.
The two administered CPR until paramedics arrived and took Sink to Tampa General Hospital, where Sink is now listed in fair condition.
Staats said it was a very close call because he could have been struck as well.
"It could have happened to all of us," he said. "Any of us.”
He's grateful his friends made it out the situation alive.
