Lightning Strike on Soccer Field: A Tragic Moment in Peru

Imagine this: a soccer match in Peru was suddenly interrupted by a lightning strike. The bolt hit José Hugo De la Cruz Meza, a 39-year-old defender for the Chocca Family team, as he and other players were leaving the field due to bad weather at the Coto Coto stadium near Huancayo. The strike was so powerful that it killed De la Cruz instantly and injured four other players, including his cousin, the team's goalkeeper, Juan Chocca Llacta.

The incident was caught on video, showing the players calmly walking off the field when a bright flash struck De la Cruz. He and several other players fell to the ground immediately. Llacta, who was walking right next to De la Cruz, was seriously injured but survived. He recalled the moment, saying they were arm in arm before the lightning hit. "I felt a flash of light in my head and went blank, " he said. "I woke up in the hospital, grateful to be alive. " After the strike, the match was canceled, and scorch marks on the grass were visible. De la Cruz's family held a wake, displaying his scorched uniform beside his coffin. They sought financial help from local authorities to cover funeral expenses and support his wife and three children.

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