The Man Who was Struck By Lightning Seven Times
Roy C. Sullivan was a United States park ranger in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, and he holds an impressive world record that he didn’t receive by choice. Sullivan was struck by lightning on seven separate occasions between the years 1942 and 1977 and survived to tell about it.
First strike
Sullivan encountered his first lightning strike in April 1942. He was trying to find cover from a thunderstorm and climbed into a fire lookout tower that overlooked Page Valley in Shenandoah National Park. Unfortunately, a lightning rod had not been installed on the tower. It was struck by lightning multiple times, and a fire broke out. Sullivan tried to make a run for it, but as soon as he got a few feet away from the tower, lightning struck him and burnt a strip down his right leg and destroyed the nail on his big toe. When the bolt exited his body, it left a hole in his shoe.
Second strike
Sullivan’s next lightning strike came in July 1969. He was driving in his truck on a mountain road when lightning hit two trees that were near the road. The bolt jumped from the trees across the road to a tree on the other side. Sullivan had both of his truck windows open, and when the bolt crossed the road, Sullivan was in its path. It burned off the man’s eyelashes, eyebrows, and the…
