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remain safe.) The truck went out of control, but eventually it over the head to scare it off—apparently not the first came to a stop near the edge of a cliff. time he'd had to hit a bear with a stick. A year later, lightning struck Sullivan again, this time Incredibly, Sullivan's wife was also struck by lightning on while he was standing at the edge of his garden. It hithim one occasion. When the incident occurred, she was on the left shoulder after first making impact with a standing in the backyard, hanging washing on the nearby power transformer. He was knocked several feet clothesline. Sullivan, who was helping her at the time, did away and sustained minor burns. not get struck. One wonders if Sullivan—perhaps having The next lightning strike, which occurred in 1972, was the ability to attract lightning—was supposed to have perhaps the most damaging to Sullivan's mental health in been the target for this strike. Taking this event into that it made him feel hopelessly jinxed. "I have never consideration, it's easy to understand why many people been a fearful man," he stated in an interview. "ButI have avoided Sullivan, particularly later in his life, fearing that to tell you the truth. When | hear it thunder now, | feela they, too, may be struck by lightning. This caused him little shaky.". He had been working inside the ranger much loneliness and depression. One time he recalled: "I station at Shenandoah National Park when, suddenly and __ was talking with the chief ranger...when lightning struck unexpectedly, a deafening clap of thunder rang out and he __ way off. The chief said, 'I'll see you later." saw lightning "bouncing around inside the station". As soon as his ears stopped ringing, Sullivan noticed that his | What are the odds? air was on fire. "The flames were up six inches," he said. If one were struck by lightning on two occasions, say, He used his jacket to smother one would begin to wonder i he flames. He then tried 9 9 9 something more than placing his head under running Taking this event into coincidence was at work. And water from 4 fap piled to fit, consideration, it's easy yndeed, if it happened another owever, so he ended up cooling ive times—as in Sullivan's it down with wet paper towels. to understand why many case—one would know for Believing, quite rationally, that people avoided Sullivan, certain that an unexplained e somehow attracted lightning . . . 1 factor was responsible. It has and was bound to get struck particularly later in his life, been estimated that over a again—even in a crowd of fearing that they. too may period of 80 years, the chance o} people—Sullivan equipped his 9 < an ordinary person being struck ruck with a can of water which be struck by lightning. by lightning just once is abou e would always take with him. one in 750,000. As for seven Also, whenever he happened to strikes, all of them independen get caught in a storm while driving, he would pull over of each other, the probability would be 1:750,000’—an and crouch down in the back seat. Only after the storm — astronomical figure. Bearing in mind, though, that the ad passed would he resume driving. nature of Sullivan's work kept him outdoors for much o} The next time lightning struck Sullivan, on 7 August the time, coupled with the fact that Virginia, where 973, he was out on patrol in the park. As soon ashe Sullivan lived, averages a reasonable number o noticed a rapidly forming storm cloud in the distance, he thunderstorm days per year (35-45), the statistics would climbed into his vehicle and sped off quickly. Oddly, need to be altered somewhat. hough, the cloud seemed to follow him. It was only after Why lightning strikes some people and not others, and e thought he had outrun the cloud that he stopped his = why some people seem to attract it—and get struck vehicle, got out, and was then struck by lightning. He multiple times—are mysteries that may never be solved apparently saw it hit him. It struck the left side of his let alone even acknowledged by scientists. Men have body, setting his hair on fire and knocking off one of his been found to be more lightning strike prone than shoes. Dazed but conscious, he crawled to his truck and = women, with 86 per cent of all victims being men. Some poured the can of water over his head. scientists have suggested that the male hormone On 5 June 1976, Sullivan was targeted by lightning strike estosterone can act as a kind of “lightning magnet". It is number six—an incident similar to the previous one, in believed that if lightning were to strike a group of men, that he was "followed" by a storm cloud which he tried to he man most likely to be killed would be the one with the outrun. The lightning injured his ankle. ighest level of testosterone. About a year later, while fishing one morning in a If Sullivan's story seems unbelievable, then that of freshwater pool, Sullivan was struck by lightning the British cavalry officer Major Summerford is even more so. seventh and final time. After hitting the top of his head © Summerford was first struck by lightning in February 1918, and singeing his hair, the lightning travelled down his _ while fighting in the fields of Flanders during the First chest and stomach, causing burns. Right then, just as he | World War. He was said to have been riding a horse at the was about to head towards his vehicle, a bear appeared. ime and was knocked to the ground. The lightning strike It attempted to steal a trout from his fishing line, so he hit rendered him paralysed from the waist down. Some time it over the head to scare it off—apparently not the first time he'd had to hit a bear with a stick. Incredibly, Sullivan's wife was also struck by lightning on one occasion. When the incident occurred, she was standing in the backyard, hanging washing on the clothesline. Sullivan, who was helping her at the time, did not get struck. One wonders if Sullivan—perhaps having the ability to attract lightning—was supposed to have been the target for this strike. Taking this event into consideration, it's easy to understand why many people avoided Sullivan, particularly later in his life, fearing that they, too, may be struck by lightning. This caused him much loneliness and depression. One time he recalled: "I was talking with the chief ranger...when lightning struck way off. The chief said, 'I'll see you later." Taking this event into consideration, it's easy to understand why many people avoided Sullivan, particularly later in his life, fearing that they, too, may be struck by lightning. 52 * NEXUS FEBRUARY - MARCH 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com