US man named Rod struck by lightning for the second time

Lightning doesn’t strike, they say. Try telling Rod that.

Like name like nature, the unfortunately named Rod Wolfe was struck by lightning outside his Illinois home last week when a bolt flashed down from the heavens, hit a nearby tree and jumped into his body, leaving him with broken ribs and heart trouble.

And unbelievably, this wasn't the first time Zeus had decided to smite him. The 58-year-old’s first lightning attack happened in 1997 when he was working at a cemetery, putting him in even more - ahem - grave danger than the latest one.

How unlucky can one guy be? Well, as the odds of being struck by lightning in the US are one in 960,000, and this figure doubled comes to one in 1,920,000 - very bloody unlucky.

Especially when you factor in a 2013 US study published on lightning strikes by the National Weather Service actually found most lightning deaths occurred during ‘leisure activity’ – and not just golf before you ask. Only eight lightning related fatalities between 2006 and 2012 were golf related, topped by bike riding (10), football (12), camping (15) and, the biggest offender of all, fishing, responsible for a staggering 26 recorded fatalities. This array of masculine dominated pursuits might also explain why 82 per cent of people killed by lightening were found to be male.

As for Rod Wolfe, we’re not sure what career the former cemetery worker has these days, but we wouldn't be too surprised to learn he was a conductor.

[Via: ABC 7 Chicago]