It’s said that lightning never strikes the same place twice.

But what about the same person? Roy Sullivan, a Virginia park ranger, defied all odds—and perhaps even nature itself—by surviving seven direct lightning strikes over the course of his life.

His story is so unbelievable that it sounds like something out of a supernatural thriller, yet it remains one of the strangest documented cases in history.

This is the jaw-dropping tale of Roy Sullivan—the man who became known as the Human Lightning Rod.

Strike #1: The Beginning of a Shocking Legacy (1942)

It all began in 1942, when Roy was working as a park ranger in Shenandoah National Park.

He was stationed inside a fire lookout tower when a storm rolled in.

The tower had no lightning rod, making it an easy target.

Lightning struck the tower and, before Roy could escape, it jumped from the metal structure and struck him directly.

The bolt tore through his body, burning a hole in his shoe and leaving him unconscious.

When he came to, he realized his big toe was missing a nail, and his leg was severely burned. He had survived his first lightning strike—but it was only the beginning.

Strike #2: The Unbelievable Coincidence (1969)

For nearly three decades, Roy remained safe from further strikes but in 1969, his luck ran out.

He was driving his truck through the park when another storm hit.

Normally, the metal body of a vehicle acts as a Faraday cage, protecting those inside from lightning.

But in Roy’s case, the bolt first hit nearby trees, then jumped through his open window, striking him in the head and knocking him unconscious.

His hair caught fire, and when he woke up, he had burns across his chest and stomach.

Most people would have considered themselves extremely unlucky after such an event but for Roy, this was only strike number two.

Strike #3: A Flash Out of the Blue (1970)

Just one year later, Roy was struck again while standing in his front yard.

This time, the lightning hit a nearby power transformer before jumping onto him.

Once again, his hair caught fire, and he suffered burns on his body.

At this point, Roy began to suspect that something beyond coincidence was happening.

Was he cursed? A walking lightning rod? Or just the world’s unluckiest man?

Strike #4: Nature Wasn’t Done With Him (1972)

By 1972, Roy Sullivan had already experienced more lightning strikes than most people would in a hundred lifetimes but fate had another surprise in store.

While working as a park ranger, another bolt struck him while he was inside a ranger station. The impact once again set his hair on fire, causing severe burns. Roy managed to put out the flames and survived—yet again.

At this point, he began carrying a bucket of water with him wherever he went, just in case.

Strike #5: Even While Off-Duty (1973)

Roy’s reputation had grown, and people around him joked about staying far away during thunderstorms but his incredible streak continued.

In 1973, he was out patrolling the park when another storm rolled in.

He tried to flee, but lightning found him anyway, striking him on the head. Once again, his hair caught fire, and he suffered injuries to his legs.

Roy became increasingly paranoid, convinced that a dark force was out to get him.

He began avoiding going outdoors during storms—yet it didn’t seem to matter.

Strike #6: The Most Unbelievable One Yet (1976)

By now, Roy had developed an intense fear of clouds.

If he even saw one forming, he would run in the opposite direction but in 1976, while out in the park, lightning struck him yet again.

This time, it hit him directly on the head, traveled down his body, and set his clothing ablaze.

Roy staggered to his car, where he managed to put out the flames with a bottle of water.

He suffered serious burns but, incredibly, he survived his sixth direct lightning strike.

Strike #7: The Final Shock (1977)

The last and final strike occurred in 1977.

Roy was fishing by a lake when, out of nowhere, lightning struck him again.

This time, he suffered burns on his chest and stomach.

Despite the extreme pain, he somehow managed to fight off a bear that tried to steal his fish right after the strike—because, at this point, why not?

After surviving his seventh strike, Roy Sullivan officially entered the Guinness World Records as the person struck by lightning the most times and survived.

The Aftermath: Did Lightning Finally Win?

Despite surviving seven separate lightning strikes, Roy’s story ended in a tragic and unexpected way.

In 1983, at the age of 71, he passed away—not due to lightning, but from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Some speculated that his extreme fear of storms and sense of isolation had taken a toll on his mental health.

Roy’s incredible and bizarre story remains one of the most statistically improbable events in recorded history.

The chances of being struck by lightning once in a lifetime are about 1 in 15,300. The odds of surviving seven strikes? Astronomically low.

Was Roy Sullivan Cursed? Or Just Unbelievably Unlucky?

To this day, people debate whether Roy Sullivan was cursed, extraordinarily unlucky, or just a rare anomaly of nature.

Scientists insist that being struck multiple times is not impossible, especially if someone frequently works outdoors. But Roy’s case remains the most extreme example ever recorded.

Regardless of whether it was fate, bad luck, or sheer statistical madness, his story is one for the ages—one that defies logic and continues to shock the world.

So, the next time you hear someone say “lightning never strikes twice,” just remember Roy Sullivan, the man who proved the universe wrong seven times over.