Lightning Crashes?

"Lightning is one of the leading weather-related causes of death and injury in the United States. Most people do not realize that they can be struck by lightning even when the center of the thunderstorm is 10 miles away and there are blue skies overhead"



~National Geographic




This is exactly what happen to Carly and I, 5 years ago. March 5, 2005 was just another day, in sunny Arizona. As we drove to pick up Abby from Mill Avenue Preschool, we sat at a red light on Rural and Hwy 60. In a split second, we were struck by lightning. BAMM!!! Only louder and more colorful! I was shocked (no pun intended) mentally. It took quite some time to realize what had just happened. But as I gathered my senses, the puzzle came together. Surrounding cars did nothing but stare at us. Not once were we asked if we were OK. Not once! It all happened so fast- it was, I don't even know how to describe how it was. Amazing?


Let me give you a little more leading up to the climax. As we traveled down the road, the sky was blue, the roads were clear and the sun was shining. A few sprinkles appeared out of nowhere, literally nowhere. Carly was sitting on the left side. She had her window rolled down, but as we drove more into the sprinkles (out of nowhere), I told her to roll it up... like a good little girl, she did. Two minutes later we are sitting at the red light.

Lightning strikes. Let me be the first (I am assuming first) to tell you that it is LOUD! BOOOOM... but it was actually more like a crack. Out of my periphery, I see bright glows of bright yellow'ish, white'ish, green'ish. Did I mention this was all on my left side? Behind me? Yes, the same side as 1) Carly and 2) the gas tank. ...No one once asked if we were OK.


The light turns green. Frantic, I pulled over at my next possible option; a hotel. I get out, examine the car. It's not on fire, the tires are still inflated, no smoke, no damage. That I can see. I pull myself together and continue my drive to the daycare (which at this point is about 2 miles away). I pull in the driveway and it hits me. I was just struck by lightning. OMG! I lost it. I go inside and explain to everyone what had just happened... which is when a few of the staff follow me out to the car to "see". When low and behold, there was damage (with lingering effects that I will soon figure out!). The top of the trunk had a burn mark... imagine leaving a welding gun on one spot of metal (I imagine this would happen) for a prolonged period- it burned, like that. A ring about the size of a quarter. On the inside of the trunk, the entire upper inside had a trail of burn along the outter rim. I imagine the lightning entered and followed the metal until it left the car, which I have NO IDEA where it left! Eventually we left and safely returned home- where my dad was awaiting us. We were going to CA for St. Patty's Day weekend :)

Fast forward. We come home from CA. That Monday I dropped off the girls at school. Later that day, I picked them up. On my way home, "Big Red" (the car) stopped working. Kaputt. I had to push it to a parking spot in McDonald's and have AAA come take it to a mechanic. Once at the shop, I never told them what happened the previous week- I was afraid they would not work on it (for whatever reason?). The diagnosis? Dead battery, dead alternator and something else was wrong with the electrical wiring. Pretty much everything electrical about it was shot. Oh, and I needed new wiper blades, but that was totally irrelevant!

The car is long gone, but the memory is still alive and kicking... as are we! So another anniversary comes and goes- but it is nice to be able to talk about it :)
Oh, and to keep the memory even more alive, I got a tattoo. I have a four leaf clover, with lightning bolts coming from in. On my left shoulder :)