Chris Schiavone recorded the moment he was struck by lightning while playing golf in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Friday, Aug. 7, and survived the incident.
The video shows a loud strike blasting near Schiavone and sending him backward. After the clip started circulating, Matt Devitt said he spoke with Schiavone and described it as one of the craziest videos he had ever seen.
Devitt also said Schiavone was struck on the arm, was recovering, and told him he was “unbelievably lucky.” Schiavone later said he felt very lucky and blessed to have survived.
Why the moment stood out
The footage is drawing attention not only because it captured a rare and dangerous lightning strike, but because Schiavone lived through it. The National Weather Service has long warned about the risks of being outside during thunderstorms, and the source notes that two of last year's lightning fatalities involved people playing golf.
The broader statistics help explain why the clip hit so hard. The National Weather Service says about 20 people are killed by lightning each year, and last year there were 20 confirmed lightning fatalities. The source also says there were four confirmed lightning fatalities this month, including two in Florida.
Golf may be an open-air sport, but the video is a reminder that lightning can turn a routine round into an emergency in seconds. Schiavone's survival turned the clip from a shocking viral moment into a story with a more hopeful ending.
