Somewhere in the foldings of the clouds, lightening is forming. There are about 40 to 50 lightning strikes around the world every second making the annual hitting over 1 billion times. Every 1 in 12,000 people is likely to get struck by lightning and out of the 500 people who do, 90% survive. There are humans who have provided an attractive target for the lightning bolts to unleash their energy n them. Let’s check out 10 of those people who were struck by lightning and lived to talk about it.
#10- Winston Kemp
When Winston Kemp was struck by the lightning bolt, he walked away as if nothing had happened. It was probably because it was a ground strike and the bolt had impacted him after rebounding from the ground. He didn’t realize he was hit until his arm started to hurt. Soon the blisters formed on his am and on healing, they now look like a beautifully textured tattoo, which are actually fractal patterns, given to him by nature.
See also; 10 Incredible Stories of Survival in Extreme Situations.
#9- Peter McCathie
In July 2015, not only was he hit by lightning but also had won a one million dollar lottery the same day! 14 years old at that time. He was on a boating trip when a white cloud formed above him and the lightning struck him through the trees. He survived the strike. And, was able to split the lottery money with his co worker with whom he had bought the lottery ticket. He told people that his odds of getting hit by lightning again are much higher than winning a lottery!
#8- Britney Wehrle
11 year old Britney was walking in the streets of Washington Pennsylvania with a friend in 2011. It was a pleasant sunny day. But she got struck by a lightning bolt from a storm occurring a few miles away. What are the odds! It is not unheard for people getting struck under sunny skies. Because lightning can travel miles before impacting the ground or a unfortunate person. Britney did not even realize it until she struggled to open the door to her home and could not move her left arm. Next she noticed a burn mark on her wrist and shoulder and at the hospital the doctors told her that the bolt had entered her body through the shoulder and exited through the wrist, breaking her arm in the process. She was lucky that the shock did not reach her heart and she recovered gradually.
#7- Melvin Roberts
The chances of a normal person being struck in a year is out of 700,000 other people but Melvin Roberts has been hit 11 times! The probability of getting hit this many times could be factored down to the account for living in a specific area but it is still a rare thing to have happened. Roberts lives in a state Seneca, South Carolina where the average likelihood of getting a hit is higher than other places. Surprisingly, he was struck in a sunny day while mowing his neighbor’s grass and twice while driving a bulldozer. His wife claims to have witnessed him getting struck all the times but Guinness book of world records wont place him due to lack of evidence.
#6- Alice Svensson
In 2011, 12 year old Alice from Sweden was taking a shower in her home when lightning struck her, not once, but twice. Her family heard her scream twice after a brief interval. When they rushed to the bathroom, they found her screaming and clutching on to the metallic shower head. It was revealed that electrical charge had surged to the plumbing and travelled through the pipes. Despite being all wet and barefooted, fortunately, her injuries for not life claiming.
#5- Sophie Frost and Mason Billington
Sophie who was 14 years old. One day she was walking along with her friend Mason; Also 14, when the lightning bolt hit them both. Mason suffered optical injuries while Sophie’s had burned down the front of her body as the electric charge had travelled through the wires of her iPod. Doctors believe that the diversion of current due to the iPod actually saved her vital organs from a fatal damage. Thanks to her grandmother who gifted her the iPod. They both recovered from the injuries.
#4- Austin Melton
14 year old Austin Melton was hit by lightning when he was at a basketball game at his middle school. When the thunderstorm knocked out the power to the gym, his friends said “that is scary” and he vouched to go out saying “at least what could happen?” He walked outside and had an impact. The next thing he saw was the hospital with burns on his head, chest and ankles and a perforated ear drum due to the concussive effect of electric charge through his body. He adopted the nickname “Sparky” to his bravery credit after the foolish spectacle.
#3- Dylan Nicholas
21 year old Dylan was sitting against a garage door where he worked, minding his own business and having lunch when lightning bolt decided to charge at him. After being struck, he lay on the ground watching his chest while complaining of pain and numbness. His inmates though he was having a heart attack and hustled him to the hospital. It turned out that the garage door had taken the brunt of the thunder strike and he was absolutely fine.
#2- Jaime Santana
In April 2016, Jamie Santana was horseriding in the woods along with his brother in law in Buckeye, Arizona. When a storm started to roll in, they both tried to get of there. But it was too late and not just he got hit, but so did his horse. Sadly enough, the horse could not survive the impact and Jamie had to spend four months in the hospital for recuperation which still continues. He hit the headlines. He is thankful for his second chance to life and to his beloved horse who took half of the charge meant for him.
#1- Roy Sullivan
As rare as it seems to get hit 11 times. There is a guy named Roy Sullivan who has been struck by lightning seven times between 1942 and 1977. Sullivan worked as a U.S park ranger in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. The lightning seemed to have a terrible attraction to him and he earned the nickname ‘Human Conductor’. Once he got hit while in his truck which acted like a Faraday’s Cage and diverted the electric charge to the ground. While another time he got hit inside the station. He swore that the clouds followed him and that was when he was hit fifth and sixth time. His last encounter was the craziest. When he got struck while fishing in a boat and had to fight off a bear who tried to steal his fish.
See also; Top 10 Unluckiest People Who Ever Lived.
All of his seven hits were documented. He became a media sensation who also holds a placement in Guinness Book of World Record; As the man who survived most of the lightning strikes. Sadly, he shot himself in the head in 1983.