National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Installing plumbing inside a house

 

On June 4, 2009, my husband Larry was installing a dishwasher. Lightning struck a water main outside of the home several doors down and traveled through the water pipe. He had his left hand on the pipes under the sink. He was thrown back a little and asked someone to check on his son, then he lost consciousness. His son was outside in the back of a box truck holding a piece of insulated wire and was also struck on the hand through the wire, which left small burn marks across his palm.

Larry was in the hospital for 2 days. He was treated for memory loss, physical therapy and occupational therapy. He has chronic pain, headaches, dizziness, joint pain, hearing loss on one side, inability to concentrate. I know we have a road ahead of us. I feel like my husband is a ginny pig. We are seeing a burn specialist, therapist, neurologist, physical medicine rehab doctor. Larry is getting depressed. No life in his voice anymore.