Utah man recovering after lightning strike
Aug 26, 2024, 3:18 PM | Updated: 3:23 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — The chance of getting struck by lightning is one in a million, but that’s where Casey Walker found himself on Aug. 17.
Walker said he was landscaping in his front yard when the incident happened.
“All of a sudden, I see, like, the flashing, like a bright white blue and just like a streak,” Walker said. “I stumbled inside, and I was trying to get my wife’s attention, and I was saying her name, ‘Anha, I got hit by lightning.’ That’s not what came out. It was more of gibberish screaming.”
Walker describing how he felt after the strike. (KSL TV)
It’s hard to tell where exactly the lightning struck, but a nearby tree shows some signs.
“The leaves are fried on here. They just, the burn marks just crunch and stuff,” Walker said.
Some of burned leaves on a tree in Walker’s front yard. (KSL TV)
According to the National Weather Service, nine out of 10 lightning victims survive being struck but can experience serious side effects.
“Each consecutive day just kind of got worse and worse, almost like when you get in a car accident, and that initial shock wears off, and you’re just like, oh, I’m really sore,” Walker said.
He is also experiencing fatigue and short-term memory loss.
“Even when the rain was hitting today, I felt like anxiety hit me just with the rain,” Walker said.
Lightning strikes are not uncommon in Utah; two reports of lightning-based incidents have occurred in the summer.
“Utah actually ranks amongst the top ten for lightning fatalities as of the last ten years,” said KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson.
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This is mostly because the Beehive State is known for its outdoor activities, such as hiking, fishing, and biking.
“We’re really outdoorsy; folks love the weather here. And so they’re just out and about more. And when these storms pop up quick in the mountains, they’re more vulnerable,” Johnson said.
An infographic of the fatality rate of lightning strikes in the U.S. from 2010 to 2019. (KSL TV)
While Walker might not know exactly where the lightning struck, whether it was a nearby shovel, a tree, or the ground, he wants others to be wary of storms and stay safe.
“I’m really lucky with the whole situation,” Walker said.
