Matthew Eric Jenkins was a 20-year-old man from Shelby Township, Michigan, whose life was tragically cut short just one week after he moved to Florida to begin a new chapter through the Disney College Program. Jenkins had recently arrived in the state with plans to take part in the internship program at Walt Disney World, but he died after he was apparently struck by lightning during a storm in downtown Celebration, Florida. The incident happened Tuesday night near Disney property and left witnesses and those who had tried to help him devastated.
According to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Jenkins was found unresponsive after lightning struck nearby while people were seeking shelter from the storm. Although a lightning strike was recorded in the area around the same time, detectives are still waiting for the medical examiner to determine the official cause of death. Jenkins’ death came only days after his arrival in Florida, making the tragedy especially heartbreaking for his family and the people who had expected him to begin a new experience at Walt Disney World.
His father told WESH 2 that Matthew had moved to Florida the previous week to participate in the Disney College Program, an internship opportunity for college students at Walt Disney World. The program was supposed to mark the beginning of an exciting period in the young man’s life, but instead, his family received devastating news just days after his move. Details released about Jenkins have focused largely on his recent move, his participation in the Disney program and the circumstances surrounding his sudden death, while his loved ones have been left to mourn a young man whose time in Florida had only just begun.
Matthew Eric Jenkins Had Just Started the Disney College Program
Jenkins had traveled from Shelby Township, Michigan, to Florida only about a week before the fatal incident. His purpose for making the move was to begin the Disney College Program, an internship program connected with Walt Disney World that allows college students to gain work experience while spending time at the Disney resort. For Jenkins, the opportunity represented a major change from his life in Michigan and the beginning of what was expected to be an important experience. Instead, his participation lasted only a short time before the tragedy occurred. His father confirmed to WESH 2 that Matthew had recently moved to Florida for the program, underscoring just how quickly his plans were interrupted.
The Disney College Program is designed to give participating students an opportunity to work at Walt Disney World while experiencing life in Central Florida. Jenkins had apparently only just begun this journey when he died. His connection to the program also led Disney to respond publicly following his death. In a statement to The Independent, a Disney spokesperson expressed deep sadness over Matthew’s passing and said he had only just begun his Disney College Program journey. The company also described him as part of the Disney community and extended its sympathy to his family, friends and loved ones during what it called an incredibly difficult time.
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For Jenkins’ family, the circumstances are particularly painful because his move to Florida had happened so recently. A young person leaving home for a new opportunity can represent an important milestone for both the individual and their family, and Matthew’s move appears to have been just such a moment. Instead of beginning a longer period of work, learning and new experiences, he died during a storm in Celebration. His father has since expressed gratitude toward the people who immediately tried to help his son after he collapsed, highlighting the efforts made by witnesses at the scene.
What Happened During the Storm in Celebration
The incident occurred Tuesday night in downtown Celebration, a community located adjacent to Disney property. At the time, a storm had moved through the area, prompting people to seek shelter. According to information released by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, people were taking cover on a walking path behind a hotel on Bloom Street when lightning struck nearby. Shortly afterward, witnesses saw a man collapse. That man was later identified as Matthew Eric Jenkins.
One of the people who witnessed what happened was Felipe Costa, who was among the group seeking shelter from the storm. Costa told WESH 2 that after hearing what had happened, he immediately ran toward the man and found Jenkins unresponsive. Another woman also came to the scene and began performing CPR while they waited for first responders to arrive. The witnesses attempted to provide assistance as quickly as possible, but Jenkins remained in critical condition and was eventually taken to Celebration Hospital.
Jenkins was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the sheriff’s office. Costa later described the moment as one in which he had a feeling the situation was not going to have a good outcome. After learning that the 20-year-old had died, Costa returned to the location where Jenkins had collapsed and left a flower. His actions reflected the impact the incident had on people who had never known Jenkins personally but had witnessed the sudden emergency and attempted to save his life.
Costa also spoke about how the incident changed his own view of severe weather. He said the experience gave him greater respect for what storms and nature are capable of and emphasized the importance of taking shelter during storms. The incident served as a stark reminder of the danger posed by lightning, particularly when severe weather is present and people are outdoors.
According to Fox 35, a lightning strike was recorded in the area at approximately 6:25 p.m., and that strike may have been the one witnesses saw shortly before Jenkins collapsed. However, the available information does not establish conclusively that lightning caused his death. Detectives are waiting for the medical examiner’s determination of the cause of death, meaning the suspected lightning strike remains an important part of the investigation rather than a medically confirmed cause at this stage.
Family, Disney and Witnesses Remember Matthew
The death of Matthew Eric Jenkins has left his family facing an unexpected loss only days after he had begun his new life in Florida. His father spoke about his son’s recent move and also expressed gratitude to the people who rushed to help Matthew when he collapsed. Those witnesses acted quickly during a dangerous storm, with Costa and another woman attempting CPR before emergency responders arrived. Their efforts were made despite the uncertainty of what had happened moments earlier.
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Costa’s decision to return to the scene and leave a flower added another emotional moment to the tragedy. Although he did not know Jenkins, he had been among the people who witnessed the lightning strike and responded when Matthew fell. His comments afterward focused not only on the loss but also on the dangers of severe weather. The experience changed his perspective on storms and reinforced for him the need to take shelter when lightning is present.
Disney also acknowledged the young man’s death and his brief connection to the company. A Disney spokesperson said the company was deeply saddened by Matthew’s passing and noted that he had just begun his Disney College Program journey. The statement also said that he would always be remembered as part of the Disney community and offered condolences to his family, friends and loved ones. The statement reflected how little time Jenkins had been able to spend in the program before his life was suddenly cut short.
At the time of the incident, Jenkins had been in Florida for approximately one week. His move from Michigan was connected to his plans for the Disney College Program, making the timing of his death particularly tragic. He had traveled to Florida for an opportunity intended to be part of his future, but instead his family and those around him are now remembering him after his unexpected death.
The investigation into what happened remains ongoing. While witnesses reported seeing lightning strike nearby before Jenkins collapsed and a lightning strike was recorded in the area around 6:25 p.m., authorities have not yet received the medical examiner’s final determination. Detectives are therefore waiting for the official findings before the cause of death can be confirmed. Until that determination is made, Jenkins’ death is being described as involving a suspected lightning strike rather than a definitively established lightning-related death.
Matthew Eric Jenkins was only 20 years old when he died, and his death came at the very beginning of what was supposed to be a new chapter in Florida. He had recently left Michigan, moved to Florida and started the Disney College Program, but his life ended during a storm in Celebration just days later. His family, the people who tried to help him and the Disney community are now left to remember a young man whose planned experience in Florida was tragically cut short.