A man was struck by lightning 7 times in his life. Whether it was luck or bad luck, in fact he always managed to survive. This story is experienced by Roy C. Sullivan from the United States who is fairly long-lived, he died at the age of 71 years.
Between 1912 and 1983, Sullivan had to be struck by lightning seven times. Launching IFL Science, Sullivan actually claimed to have been struck by lightning in his childhood but it could never be proven. Thus, 'only' seven lightning strikes are included in the Guinness World Records record.
The following are 7 moments Sullivan was struck by lightning that went down in history:
1. The Tower (1942)
Sullivan was first struck by lightning while on a fire control tower, which had no lightning rod installed. The tower had been hit about seven times, and as a result "fire was jumping everywhere".
He ran outside but was still hit by his first and most painful lightning strike he had ever experienced. The lightning burned his leg and made a hole in his shoe and he was bleeding. "I was only a few meters from the tower, and then, blam!" he said.
2. Truck (1969)
While driving on a mountain road, Sullivan saw lightning strike two trees on the side of the road. Normally, a car is a Faraday Cage that can direct an electric current around the inside of a car and throw it to the ground, but Sullivan is yet to fail.
Sullivan rolled down his window at that moment and lightning flashed through the window and out of the other window. In this strike, his eyebrows and hair were peeled off and his watch shattered. Lightning knocked him unconscious and out of the way into the sewers.
3. Gardens (1970)
One, two strikes, Sullivan had no idea that lightning would find out where Roy lived and wanted to give him another hit. Yep, Sullivan was struck while gardening, on a sunny day. He got hit on the shoulder.
4. Burning hair incident (1972)
This time at Loft Mountain in Shenandoah National Park where he worked as a ranger, was the location where Sullivan was struck by lightning. At a guard post, lightning strikes the building. He reportedly heard a hissing sound and it turned out to be from his burning hair. He came out with a damp paper towel and went to the hospital.
5. Hurricane (1973)
Sullivan dreams of being struck by lightning, which he takes as an omen. And it turned out to be true. While trying to outrun the storm, Sullivan claimed that the clouds seemed to be chasing him. But still, Sullivan was struck and hit his shoe.
6. Again and again (1976)
Sullivan was hit again and injured his ankle while trying to escape. Her hair was also on fire. I don't know how many times Sullivan's hair has been the victim.
7. Go fishing (1977)
The last strike occurred near the freshwater pond where he was fishing. The lightning scorched his hair before finally burning through his chest and stomach. On his way back to his car, he said he met a bear and was forced to chase it away by hitting it with a stick.
But his death was not by lightning. In September 1983 he died by suicide, reportedly because his love was rejected by someone.
