Man struck by lightning and set alight while playing golf

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A father of five who was struck by lightning while playing golf will require skin graft surgery after a fifth of his body was burnt by the bolt. Justin Hofer, 38, was lucky to survive the freak accident that happened at Sunbrook Golf Course in St. George, Nv., last Friday. 

 

He said:‘

All I really remember was teeing off on the first hole of the point, and then I really don’t remember anything until I woke up at the hospital here. It’s weird. It’s like my memory just got erased. (Sunday) is the first day I really remember.“We all went up there to putt out balls in and apparently that’s when it happened. ‘I got hit by the lightning and then my really good buddy just looked at me and I just kinda fell over, hit the ground and was on fire.’

Astonishingly, Justin was able to tell his golfing buddy to call for help moments after being struck – but blacked out soon after. He recalled:

‘(My friend) asked me, “Are you OK? Are you OK?” Hofer told KSL. ‘My response was, “I need a helicopter and for you to call 911.”

Justin will require skin grafts on his legs, and is expected to stay at the Las Vegas burn center where he is recovering until the end of next week.

The odds of being struck by lightning are one in 1,083,000, the National Weather Service says. Around 300 people are hit by a bolt every year, with one in ten strikes proving fatal. Justin was also lucky to escape serious disability when he was struck. Despite the incident, he remains hopeful, saying:

‘(It’s) unbelievable bad luck. ‘But maybe it will all turn out for the best.’

Metro UK


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