**Gardener Cheated Death After Lightning Strike While Fishing in France on Friday the 13th**
A British gardener is counting his blessings after remarkably surviving a direct lightning strike while fishing abroad, an ordeal made all the more extraordinary by its occurrence on the famously inauspicious Friday the 13th.
Steve Barrett, aged 54 and hailing from Christchurch, Dorset, was enjoying a fishing trip with friends at the well-known Carp Zoo fishery, nestled in France’s picturesque Loire Valley. It was 13 June, and what was meant to be a peaceful outing swiftly turned into a life-threatening emergency when a bolt of lightning hit the area without warning.
The terrifying incident unfolded as Steve stood a mere 10 feet from a sturdy tree on the bank. In a sudden flash, the tree was struck, and, in a remarkable display of physics, the electrical current travelled onward, connecting with Steve’s fishing rod. The force of the strike propelled Steve to the ground, leaving him temporarily paralysed and convinced he had lost his life.
“I just remember this blinding heat shooting down my left side,” Steve recalled. “It paralysed me instantly—there were waves of pins and needles, and I couldn’t feel anything at all. It was a really odd sensation.” He further described the moment as surreal and almost dreamlike, with his friends initially unaware of the extent of his injuries.
Eyewitnesses reported that the weather had hardly given any hint of what was to come. The strike was sudden, accompanied by neither rain nor a storm, which made the near-fatal incident even more shocking. One of Steve’s friends saw the bolt but did not immediately realise it had hit Steve.
The aftermath of the incident was as chaotic as the strike itself. Steve was found lying dazed and injured on the bank. His friends rushed to provide immediate aid before emergency services arrived. Paramedics transported him urgently to hospital, where doctors soon discovered the extensive injuries he had suffered: broken ribs, numerous bruises, burns, and a gaping hole in his shoulder. Debris from the shattered tree had also left painful splinters embedded in his body, compounding his trauma.
Reflecting on his ordeal, Steve said, “There was only a second or two before I blacked out. I honestly thought it was the end—I suppose you go through some emotional turmoil when you think your time’s up.” He noted the particularly lucky escape regarding the wooden fragments from the tree, saying: “The splinters hit my shoulder, and if they’d struck higher, it could have been my neck.”
Remarkably, Steve was discharged from hospital after five days, having undergone several stitches and treatments for his injuries. He has since returned home and reports no lasting health effects from the lightning strike.
The unusual circumstances surrounding the event—fishing on Friday the 13th, being struck by lightning, and surviving relatively unscathed—have led Steve to reflect deeply on his good fortune. He admits to feeling incredibly grateful, stating, “For it all to happen like that, on that date… it’s a miracle, really. I’m just glad to be here telling the tale.”
Experts frequently remind anglers and outdoor enthusiasts of the dangers posed by lightning, especially near water or tall trees, even when there appears to be no threat of a storm. Accidents such as Steve’s underline the unpredictable nature of severe weather events, and the incident serves as a sobering reminder of the risks associated with outdoor pursuits.
Steve’s story is a powerful testament to resilience and luck—an eventful day that might have ended in tragedy, but instead, serves as a remarkable story of survival and gratitude.