What’s worse, Metallica or Lightning?

ipod_lightning.jpg

Photo: Denver Post / Helen H. Richardson

A Colorado teenager was struck by lightning while mowing the lawn and listening to his iPod, according to the Denver Post. It appears the lightning struck his iPod and fried the earbud wires, severely burning the inside of his ears. Ouch. The paper reports:

Jason Bunch was listening to Metallica on his iPod while mowing the lawn outside his Castle Rock home Sunday afternoon when lightning hit him.

The last thing the 17-year-old remembers was that a storm was coming from the north and he had only about 15 minutes before he should go inside.

Next thing he knew, he was in his bed, bleeding from his ears and vomiting. He was barefoot and had taken off his burned T-shirt and gym shorts. He doesn’t know how he got back in the house.

Bunch’s ears were burned on the inside, and he’s lost some hearing, mostly on the right side. His hair was singed.

DON'T MISS
Couch Potato’s Delight – Control Your Lawnmower with Your iPhone

His face, chest, hands and right leg have freckle-size welts on them as if buckshot had come from inside his body out.

The wounds follow the line of his iPod, from his ears down his right side to his hip, where he was carrying the device. The iPod has a hole in the back, and the earbuds dissolved into green threads.

About the author

Leander Kahney

is the editor and publisher of Cult of Mac, and author of three books about technology culture: Inside Steve’s Brain, the New York Times bestseller about Steve Jobs; Cult of Mac; and Cult of iPod. Leander has written for Wired, MacWeek, Scientific American, and The Guardian in London. Follow Leander on Twitter @lkahney and Facebook.

(sorry, you need Javascript to see this e-mail address)| Read more posts by .

Posted in iPod |

  • Fabris

    He was probably listening to Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning”.

  • http://web.mac.com/jakeryansmith jakeryansmith

    That’s it! i’m never listening to my iPod in a thunderstorm ever again!

  • Guy

    WTF?! Dude was mowing the lawn in the middle of a lightening storm? Darwin award anyone?

  • rag on a muffin

    I guess he was trying to “ride the lightning” ;P

  • Max

    Had it not been listening to his iPod the kid wouldn’t be alive. The wires conducted the currant away from his heart. Lucky!

  • http://macnewbie.info Alex

    Yay! He shouldn’t listen to iPod in the storm!

  • Thomas

    Gimme fuel gimme fire, i guess he got what he asked for..

    (Metallica – Fuel)

  • Who?

    Actually, I read an article that says he was listening to “Metal Militia” off of “Kill ‘Em All.” Must be a real fan!

  • alin

    i nominate this idiot for a darwin award

  • http://www.blackmacbook.com Black MacBook

    lol “I guess he was trying to “ride the lightning” ;P”

    From now on he’ll only listen to classical music..

  • http://www.myspace.com/armeniaspride peter

    wow….i had a dream that happen 2 me but not that bad…damn bro im sorry…..that sucks soo bad….hell metallica rules tho….but hey its all god….look at the bright side… ure not hospitlized right?

    well, a lesson 2 those who listen 2 ipods in the rain

    peter

  • hubahopp

    My fellow humans are asholes.
    I wish all the best to this young man that was so badly burned.
    Why do you laugh about him and his accident?

  • alan

    You know his family’s going to sue Apple, haha. “Apple should have foreseen the possibility that a lightning strike could do this and put a warning in the instructions!” He looks pretty cute, too, minus the scorch marks on his face and ear.

  • Cypy

    Yeah, WTF is right! Think about how loud a lawnmower is. Anyone try listening to music with earbuds WHILE USING A LAWNMOWER? I don’t even think the earbuds can withstand that sort of blast.

    Jeeze… sure this isn’t fake?

  • imajoebob

    What I’d like to know (from a physicist or maybe a meteorologist?) is did the iPod saved this guys life? It looks like the ear bud’s wires conducted the bolt away from his head and torso. From what I’ve read it’s the shot through the heart that’s often the fatal blow, but this may have redirected the charge.

    I’m gonna make sure I am wearing my iPod when I mow the lawn (especially in a thunderstorm!)

  • ipod

    u dumb idiot, i feel very sorry for you though…