U.S. Park Ranger Roy C. Sullivan (1912–1983) survived being struck by lightning seven times between 1942 and 1977. This Virginia ranger was hit once in a car, once in a truck, once while fishing, once while camping, once in his own front yard, once in a ranger station, and once while on top of a lookout tower. Years after his death, he still holds the dubious honor of being the “Human Lightning Rod.”

In another peculiar case, a Midwestern family has had numerous members struck by lightning. One woman had been struck by lightning twice—in 1965 and 1995—her grandfather was killed by a 1921 lightning bolt, while her great uncle was also killed in the 1920s; her nephew was temporarily blinded when he was hit; and she also had a cousin who was less seriously injured while holding an umbrella in a storm.