Local News

Thalita Teixeira Padilla’s family identified her as the Dorchester woman who was struck by lightning at Savin Hill Beach on Saturday.

A travel nurse is in critical condition but “living an incredible miracle” after she survived being struck by lightning on a Boston beach Saturday, according to her family.

Thalita Teixeira Padilla’s cousin identified her as the 31-year-old Dorchester woman struck by lightning while walking her dog along the boardwalk at Savin Hill Beach Saturday afternoon. 

Teixeira Padilla was thrown onto the beach and was unresponsive following the blast, and Massachusetts State Police said witnesses called 911 and performed CPR. She was rushed to Boston Medical Center in critical condition, police said. 

Teixeira Padilla “​​has been spending some months with her husband in Boston, both working as travel nurses,” cousin Stephanie Teixeira wrote on a GoFundMe page to help the couple with expenses. 

Teixeira said her cousin is “showing amazing progress that is only possible through the goodness of God,” according to the fundraiser description.

“She is living an incredible miracle of being alive and showing progress, however the process is going to be difficult as we don’t know how long she will be in the hospital and how long the recovery process will be,” Teixeira wrote.

The fundraiser had collected nearly $26,000 by mid-afternoon on Tuesday. 

State police said Teixeira Padilla’s dog, Bruce, was scared off by the lightning and ran away, though the agency later confirmed that he had been found.