Overview
- Chris Schiavone recorded the strike at Pebble Creek Golf Course near Cincinnati on Aug. 7 when a bolt hit him while he sheltered on the course and the impact knocked him to the ground.
- Schiavone was struck in the arm and is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries after reporting temporary loss of feeling and hearing.
- The cellphone video has gone viral, drawing millions of views and thousands of reactions that mix astonishment with criticism of unsafe behavior during storms.
- The National Weather Service and lightning-safety groups renewed standard guidance that people should move immediately to a substantial building or a hard-topped vehicle when thunder is heard and should not shelter under isolated trees or use umbrellas.
- Officials note that lightning can strike miles from a storm and that roughly 20 U.S. lightning deaths occur each year, with golf-related fatalities often involving people who sheltered under trees, a point likely to increase safety checks and public reminders at courses.