The small town of Palatka, FL, is mourning the loss of a teenage girl after she was struck by lightning. Baylee Holbrook, 16, was hunting with her father, Matthew Holbrook, late afternoon last Tuesday when lightning struck a tree near them. The strike rendered both father and daughter unconscious. When Matthew awoke, he found Baylee unconscious and not breathing. He drove her to a main road, where he attempted CPR. Emergency services brought her to HCA Florida Putnam Hospital, where she was initially stabilized and taken to the pediatric trauma center at UF Health Shands Hospital. 

The hospital was filled with family and friends who came to pray for and support the injured teenager. Pastor Willie B. McKinnon III, the family’s pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, praised the support from the community. “As I got off of that elevator last night inside of (UF Health) in Gainesville and I look, and I see the hallways lined with people on their knees praying … I see the hundreds of people that are sitting there, man, it brings a tear to your eye because this community when one of their own is hurt, they come out in full force to support them, to be there for them,” he said. A prayer vigil was organized for Baylee on Wednesday morning and evening. At 9:32 a.m., Thursday, despite efforts to save her life, Baylee passed away. Trinity Baptist organized a prayer vigil for Baylee’s family on Thursday, which had to be moved to the C L Overturf Auditorium at the Palatka school to accommodate the many people who attended. Members of the community also wore green to honor her. 

Many spoke on the impact and love Baylee had on the lives of her fellow classmates. McKinnon noted that she was an active part of her church. “She was the one on Wednesday nights, on Sunday mornings, testing her peers here at the school, her friends, her loved ones. ‘Hey, hope to see you at church. Hope to see you there.’ Because she always wanted to see people better than who they were. And her main goal was to make sure they had every opportunity to accept Jesus Christ into their heart,” he shared. Baylee was a cheerleader for Palatka High’s varsity football team. The junior varsity team’s Thursday night game was canceled to allow students to process the loss. Friday’s varsity game was continued after a discussion by school officials and the community. It was an away game against Tocoi Creek High School, which also wore green to support the Holbrook family. Baylee’s friend and teammate, Rileigh Scout, said the support was just a result of who Baylee was. “Faith is her middle name; it is exactly what she was,” she said. “She was always faithful, always wanted you to feel like you were okay, and above all that, you were the most important thing.” Baylee’s family decided to donated the teen’s organs to “save every last life they can,” according to a Facebook post by her father. A video posted by Trinity Baptist showed the halls lined with immediate family members to honor Baylee as she was taken in for surgery to have her organs donated. A separate service was held at 9 p.m. at Francis Baptist Church to accommodate so many people who wanted to support the family while Baylee was taken in.

According to the CDC, on average, about 28 people are killed per year from lightning strikes. 90% of individuals survive but usually suffer some type of injury or disability. Trinity Baptist held a service on Sunday morning at the Palatka football field to honor Baylee’s life. A video of the service was posted to its Facebook page, showing the gymnasium filled with people wearing green and camo. Bailey’s father spoke and thanked everyone for their support. He quoted John 4:23, “But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.” He affirmed that God is God. “I know my baby is with Him,” he said.