‘I just went airborne’: Man struck by lightning while inside home in South Carolina
CHERRY GROVE BEACH, S.C. - Bill Brucks and his 93-year-old mother, Marilyn, experienced a rare scenario in which a lightning bolt struck someone inside their home.
The incident occurred in late June as a thunderstorm moved along the South Carolina coast. According to Brucks, storms often pass by their home, but this one seemed different.
"It built up and built up and built up for about two hours," he said. "Then it came, and it just poured rains like we’d never seen before."
Brucks then walked into the kitchen and placed his hand on the refrigerator door. As he looked out the back door window, he saw everything turn white, and he flew across the kitchen and fell onto the floor.
"I just went, felt airborne, going backwards," he said.
Brucks’ mother rushed to him. According to Brucks, he saw that she was stunned at the sight of him on the floor.
"I thought, ‘Is he alive?’" she recalled.
Despite being struck by lightning, Brucks’ mind was on protecting his mother
"I had to scramble up off the floor and try to grab her and get her out of the house," Brucks said. "And then, a next-door neighbor came in the back door, and I just kind of shoved mom right, right towards her. I said, ‘Get her out now.’"
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All were able to escape the home without significant injuries. However, the lightning bolt that struck Brucks also set his 45-year-old family home on fire.
Footage shot by neighbors captured images of large flames glowing on the rooftop as smoke billowed out.
Brucks home on fire. (Bill Brucks III)
Brucks said his mother lost her clothes, jewelry and furniture in the fire, and much of their home is uninhabitable.
He noted that they are currently in temporary housing set up by their church until the end of July but are looking for another place to live as they find more permanent housing.
To learn how to help Brucks and his mother, you can check out their GoFundMe page here.