Victims of Park lightning strike in stable but serious condition

Three Glacier National Park visitors struck by lightning on Wednesday, July 17, were in stable but serious condition by the next day and were expected to stay in the hospital for several days.

The individuals included Travis Heitmann, 23, of Kalispell, Kensey Leishman, 23, of Missoula and a 10-year-old Kalispell boy Heitmann had been mentoring.

Park dispatch received a call about the incident around 4:30 p.m. from a Park interpretive ranger who said a group of hikers may have been hit by lightning on the St. Mary Falls Trail about three quarters of a mile from the Going-to-the-Sun Road trailhead, on the Park’s east side.

According to Heitmann’s father, Kent, the three were not directly hit by lightning and have little recollection of what happened. There are no entry or exit wounds, but they have a lot of bruising. He said his son and the boy were in intensive care at Kalispell Regional Medical Center while Leishman was in a regular hospital room.

Heitmann’s father said the three were initially unconscious but breathing for about 15 minutes before being found by other hikers. Bystanders at the scene initiated CPR as rangers and employees from around the Park responded to the scene. His son had turned blue, but luckily a doctor was at the scene fairly quickly.

Assistance was requested from the ALERT helicopter in Kalispell and the Mercy Flight helicopter in Great Falls, but the Mercy Flight helicopter was unable to respond because of weather. The ALERT helicopter ferried Park medics to the scene.

Park employees and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office personnel used hand litters to carry the three individuals to the trailhead. The Sun Road was temporarily closed for the incident. Glacier County Ambulance from Babb and Browning Ambulance were called and arrived at the scene.

The boy was airlifted to Kalispell via ALERT, and Glacier County Ambulance began to transport the two adults to Kalispell. The ALERT helicopter returned for the male patient, and the ambulance continued on to Kalispell with the female patient. Heitmann’s father said the three victims of the lightning strike arrived at KRMC between 8 and 8:30 p.m.

Park visitors who arrived at the St. Mary Visitor Center shortly after the incident reported seeing two lightning strikes in the area, according to Glacier Park spokeswoman Denise Germann. A fast-moving storm passed through the area, dropping rain for 10-15 minutes, she said.

The incident is under investigation by the National Park Service.