# That's the first time I've seen someone being hit by lightning **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 13, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130 "2014-12-13T16:08:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/1 "2014-12-13T16:08:31Z")
[Peruvian Soccer Player Survives After Being Struck By Lightning During Match](http://yahoo.thepostgame.com/blog/dish/201412/peruvian-soccer-player-survives-after-being-struck-lightning-during-cup-match) OK, I didn’t actually see the bolt. It happened between frames. But close enough. It actually looked like something from a _Monty Python_ sketch. The article says the man should be OK. The writer needs to brush up on his similes, though. > [@](#): > > Yeah, lay off the medical mumbo-jumbo and tell it like it is. Lightning broke through Fuente’s face and exited through his leg like he was a chicken on a spigot. (Or maybe he thinks a spit is called a spigot.) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/2 "2014-12-13T16:30:58Z")
From the article. > [@](#): > > Fuentes was whisked off to the hospital and was pronounced dead shortly thereafter by his team. Either thanks to a miracle or due to shoddy public relations work – but probably shoddy public relations work – **Fuentes was not dead at all, just very, very close to it.** Get Miracle Max! ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/3 "2014-12-13T17:04:14Z")
Wow. It looks like he was atomized or something. Glad to hear he’s OK. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/4 "2014-12-13T17:08:32Z")
looks to me like they deleted a few frames. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/5 "2014-12-13T17:24:26Z")
> [@](#): > > the next, he’s falling backward onto the ground like someone shot him (which is more or less what happened Cool situation, crap writing. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/6 "2014-12-13T17:52:51Z")
i can’t watch the video in the OP’s link on my iPad so I went to youtube and found many people have posted this… but the resolution is so shitty, I can’t see a fucking thing until there’s shitloads of people running onto the field. I must have watched 8 or 9 people’s versions and I never saw either the lightning strike or the player who was struck. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/7 "2014-12-13T18:05:41Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > i can’t watch the video in the OP’s link on my iPad so I went to youtube and found many people have posted this… but the resolution is so shitty, I can’t see a fucking thing until there’s shitloads of people running onto the field. I must have watched 8 or 9 people’s versions and I never saw either the lightning strike or the player who was struck. :mad: The video in the link in the OP has the player circled so you can see him. I didn’t see the lighting bolt because it happened between frames. (That might have been as long as 1/30 second.) But you can see the player, and then you can see the puff of smoke as he is struck. (Or is it ‘stricken’?) You can see him on the ground. ETA: I’m using a 17" MacBook Pro. . ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/8 "2014-12-13T18:35:15Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > The video in the link in the OP has the player circled so you can see him. > . There are 4 or 5 people moving about in the circle. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/9 "2014-12-13T19:08:24Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > There are 4 or 5 people moving about in the circle. I watched it on my iPad. There’s a guy in the circle who is up, then a huge BOOM, puff of smoke and the guy is flat on the ground. There is one or two guys in the foreground of the circle and on slightly back. The one who is hit is behind those three, near the top of the circle. It happens in the first few seconds of the video. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/10 "2014-12-13T19:51:26Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > There are 4 or 5 people moving about in the circle. It’s the one who’s not moving. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/11 "2014-12-13T20:00:09Z")
Hard to see, but the side ref also falls down, he manages to stand up and signal with the flag that the player in front of him is down, and then he walks on one foot towards the middle of the field and then lies down as it is surrounded by players and medical people. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/12 "2014-12-17T02:03:18Z")
About 10-12 years ago, our local news had video of a woman being struck by lightning in Florida (800 miles away). She was thrown like she was a rag doll. Doing a couple of cartwheels and/or summersaults. Another odd thing, is the witness that was interviewed was a former golfing buddy of mine. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/13 "2014-12-17T06:50:24Z")
My current closest friend was struck by lightning about 18 years ago. Her symptoms are weird and varied, and sometimes like “multiple sclerosis in reverse”. She’s still not fully recovered, (never will be)but functions pretty well, most days. Some days, she barely remembers to eat, or get dressed. One plus, she forgot that she used to have a problem with alcohol. Has never had a desire for a drink ever since. She won’t drink, because she knows she is an alcoholic. She was struggling with recovery when the lightning struck, but since that day has never wanted or even been curious about alcohol at all. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/14 "2014-12-17T10:36:27Z")
Eh, you know those football players. He’s probably faking it just to make the ref card nature. …Jokes in extremely poor taste aside, I’m really shocked at how… _undramatic_ it looks in the video. I always imagined someone getting struck by lightning would look… Well, it would last longer. I dunno. Perceptions of things like that in pop culture are weird. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/15 "2014-12-17T16:52:20Z")
From the article: > [@](#): > > Playing under storm clouds, Fuentes – along with an assistant referee nearby – was struck by the near-fatal bolt just as a soccer match began. No further word about the referee; doesn’t even say if he lived or died. I always knew it was a thankless job, but damn. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/16 "2014-12-17T18:40:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Fuentes was whisked off to the hospital and was pronounced dead shortly thereafter by his team. Either thanks to a miracle or due to shoddy public relations work – but probably shoddy public relations work – Fuentes was not dead at all, just very, very close to it. Reminds me of: “Mr. Burns was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was then taken to a better hospital where his condition was upgraded to: alive.” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/17 "2014-12-17T19:29:56Z")
Cool video, too bad we don’t see the burst but that would take a stroke of luck. Why did the team pronounce him dead? Did they have someone pull the TV trope of putting a finger on the neck for 0.4 seconds and shake his head sadly? At least the writer didn’t say “it was an exciting game- you could feel the electricity in the air!” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/18 "2014-12-18T12:36:51Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Why did the team pronounce him dead? Salary cap manipulation? ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/19 "2014-12-18T20:53:00Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > It’s the one who’s not moving. Well played… ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130/20 "2014-12-18T21:07:50Z")
While I’ve never actually seen any of them hit, when I worked in various burn ICUs, I’ve taken care of several lightning struck victims. Some had no symptoms and went home the next day to those coming through the door having CPR and looking like a crispy critters (what ever happened to that cereal?) Ok, you just saw a little critical care humor. Sorry, if anyone was offended. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-first-time-ive-seen-someone-being-hit-by-lightning/707130.md?page=2)