PITTSBURGH - A young man struck by lightning while playing softball at a church camp in Parkersburg last week is improving and expected to get moved out of a Pittsburgh hospital soon.
Zachary Sandy, 18, of Stonewood, has been in the West Penn Burn Center for injuries in the lightning strike during a storm last Wednesday while he and others were playing softball off Core Road. After intially arriving, he was listed in critical condition.
''Zach is no longer considered a burn patient,'' his father, Russell, said. ''Right now they are working on moving him to the Morgantown Healthsouth Rehabilitation Center.
''We are just not sure right now when that is going to happen.''
The bolt knocked Sandy and other players to the ground. People immediately began performing CPR on Sandy until emergency medical crews arrived and continued.
''They were all just awesome,'' Russell said. ''They worked on him until they got a pulse.''
Russell believes those medical crews were guided by God in doing their work to bring his son back.
Sandy is awake and alert, his father said.
''However, his memory is bouncing around,'' Russell said.
Sandy remembers people and places. He remembers who plays on the West Virginia University football team and their numbers.
However, people have visited him, carried on conversations, but an hour or so later may not completely remember it happening, his father said. He is also having some trouble standing and walking.
Medical personnel are still monitoring him and the prognosis looks very good. Doctors have told them they believe Sandy will be back to normal within two to four months. It will take some work.
''That is good news compared to where he was,'' Russell said.
Russell continue to thank the community of Parkersburg and everyone who has kept Zachary and their family in prayer.
''We are so grateful,'' he said.
