BOSTON — A woman who was struck by a bolt of lightning while walking her dog in Boston last month got a standing ovation from doctors and nurses as she was discharged from Boston Medical Center on Wednesday after making a “miracle” recovery.
Medical staff lined one of the hospital’s glass hallways to show support and love for 31-year-old Thalita Teixeira Padilla, who was wheeled past them and sent off to Spaulding Rehabilitation Facility.
Padilla, a traveling nurse who had a contract based in Boston, was walking her dog, Bruce, along the boardwalk at Savin Hill Beach when the unthinkable happened on Sept. 9.
As she stopped to talk with a friend, a lightning bolt crashed down, striking the area where she was standing.
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Padilla, who was thrown into the air and left with critical injuries, was rushed to the hospital, where she remained for about six weeks.
Bruce ran off amid the chaos that followed the strike but a stranger found him not long after and brought him back to the family.
During her hospital recovery, Padilla was reunited with Bruce.
On Monday, Padilla passed her swallow evaluation at BMC, marking the first time she could drink or eat since the freak accident and signaling she was ready to begin rehabilitation.
“She has been overjoyed with this outcome,” her husband told Boston 25. “She has been dearly missing these small pleasures in life.”
Monday marked a joyous day that many thought simply wasn’t possible.
Care workers lining a pedestrian bridge cheered and applauded the release of Padilla.
Her family spoke outside BMC following the sendoff, expressing immense gratitude for the doctors and nurses who worked to save their loved one’s life.
“We just want to thank the hospital and everyone who was involved...It was such a big explosion of love,” said Padilla’s brother Andre. “I just saw my sister Thalita go through a miracle situation...From day 1 to day 40, It’s a miracle.”
Despite the arduous rehabilitation process that awaits, Padilla has remained in high spirits, according to Andre..
“She’s been very positive. She’s a nurse, and I spoke to her yesterday about where her mind is and how she’s feeling,” Andre explained. “She’s already talking about using this time to go back for her master’s while she’s in recovery. So, that explains where her spirit is now...It’s uplifting for sure.”
Andre also described Padilla as an amazing, caring person who is cherished by all who know her. He also called her a “legend” for preserving through such trying times.
“Every day, even though she was overcoming the odds, it was no breaks until right now, to be honest,” Andre said.
Her doctor echoed similar sentiments and is thankful Padilla is expected to make a full recovery.
“It’s so nice to see that she has recovered, that she is going to be able to have new goals and new ideas for her life,” Dr. Dechert said.
Padilla has since regained full recognition of the lightning strike, but isn’t quite ready to talk about the traumatic ordeal, according to Andre. However, the family is eager to meet the woman who performed CPR on Padilla moments after the lightning strike.
Doctors say the good Samaritan’s actions in those precious few moments saved her life.
“We want to meet her because we haven’t met her yet, but I want to thank her, and bless her,” Nilson Teieira, Thalita’s father said.
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