With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Lightning Strike At Venice Beach Killed Incoming USC Student
A 20-year-old student who would have started school at USC soon was killed when a rare lightning storm hit Venice Beach on Sunday.
Nick Fagnano was hanging out with his friends on the beach when he decided to dip in the water for a moment to rinse off, and that's when lightning struck.
"There was so much commotion when the lightning struck on the beach, he was not one of those recovered in the first response,” his mother Mary Fagnano told L.A. Daily News. “His friends were looking frantically for him, couldn’t find him. Half an hour after lightning struck, his body was found about 50 feet out."
KTLA reported that Fagnano was taken to a Marina del Rey hospital, where he died.
Sponsored message
His parents said that the Sherman Oak's Notre Dame High School graduate had attended Santa Barbara City College and Santa Monica City College, and was about to attend USC as a junior to study urban development.
In the last few months before his death, Fagnano tweeted about how excited he was about attending USC, and also about working at the ACE Hotel downtown:
Last 3 AM Night working behind the bar. I had the best coworkers/managers/friends @ Ace Hotel. Going to miss them all pic.twitter.com/LkBMeAb3P3
— Nick Fagnano (@Nicky_Fagnano) July 7, 2014
Fagnano's friends tweeted about him being a "sweet guy with a big heart" and being "so nice."
His mother said that he was "the best child a parent could ever had hoped for." He was their only child and lived with his parents downtown. He also played basketball for four years at his high school.
Seven other people were injured in the same lightning strike at Venice Beach, with one in critical condition. This was the chaotic scene at the beach:
Lightning strike kills man on crowded Venice Beach in Los Angeles http://t.co/RTEgjXCgGP pic.twitter.com/EwDIVKK0QC
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) July 28, 2014
Sponsored message
A 57-year-old man was struck by lightning in Catalina on Sunday; however, he was later released from the hospital, according to KTLA.
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
