DORCHESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - A woman who survived a lightning strike while out walking her dog in Dorchester continues to recover and was recently reunited with her canine companion.
Thalita Teixeira Padilla was critically injured on Sept. 9 when she was struck by lightning while walking along Savin Hill Beach. The 31-year-old travel nurse had been walking her dog, Bruce, with a friend when it happened.
Left with serious injuries, she was taken to Boston Medical Center for treatment while Massachusetts State Police asked for the public’s help in finding Bruce, who ran off after the incident.
That same night, a man named Hiep Ngo was able to come across the pup and, weeks later, the pet and owner were reunited at the hospital as Thalita continues her recovery.
Speaking with 7NEWS on Friday night, Ngo recounted how he had been taking his own dog out when he spotted Bruce in his backyard in Dorchester.
“He was stuck right here because his leash was stuck right around here,” he said, pointing at a stone stairwell. “His leash was stuck on one of the bushes in my backyard, so he couldn’t move anywhere – he was there for a few hours.”
Ngo brought the dog into his home and dialed the number on Bruce’s collar, getting in contact with Thalita’s husband, who explained what had happened.
“I said, ‘are you the owner because I have your dog,’ then he didn’t really say much – then, 15 minutes later, he texts me [what had happened],” Ngo recounted. “I said ‘Oh my God, I hope that she’s OK.'”
When told about the recent reunion between Bruce and Thalita, he said he was overjoyed.
“That’s great!” he said. “I’m happy for the family. I wish for her to have a speedy recovery and hopefully, I can meet her and shake her hand when she gets out, you know!”
In addition to sharing photos of the reunion, Thalita’s family also shared footage with 7NEWS of the 31 year old going outside on Friday – the first time she had been out since she was injured.
A GoFundMe campaign set up to support her can be found here.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)