What’s worse, Metallica or Lightning?
5:11 pm, July 6th, 2006, Leander Kahney
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.
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.
Posted by Leander Kahney in iPod | Comment on this article
He was probably listening to Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning”.
Fabris, on July 7th, 2006 at 3:57 am
That’s it! i’m never listening to my iPod in a thunderstorm ever again!
jakeryansmith, on July 7th, 2006 at 6:26 am
WTF?! Dude was mowing the lawn in the middle of a lightening storm? Darwin award anyone?
Guy, on July 19th, 2006 at 3:09 am
I guess he was trying to “ride the lightning” ;P
rag on a muffin, on July 22nd, 2006 at 9:20 pm
Had it not been listening to his iPod the kid wouldn’t be alive. The wires conducted the currant away from his heart. Lucky!
Max, on August 4th, 2006 at 8:13 am
Yay! He shouldn’t listen to iPod in the storm!
Alex, on August 9th, 2006 at 3:26 am
Gimme fuel gimme fire, i guess he got what he asked for..
(Metallica – Fuel)
Thomas, on August 20th, 2006 at 10:03 am
Actually, I read an article that says he was listening to “Metal Militia” off of “Kill ‘Em All.” Must be a real fan!
Who?, on August 24th, 2006 at 12:07 pm
i nominate this idiot for a darwin award
alin, on September 6th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
lol “I guess he was trying to “ride the lightning†;P”
From now on he’ll only listen to classical music..
Black MacBook, on September 14th, 2006 at 7:52 am
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
peter, on October 30th, 2006 at 5:29 pm
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?
hubahopp, on March 15th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
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.
alan, on March 26th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
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?
Cypy, on April 4th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
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!)
imajoebob, on April 5th, 2007 at 8:39 am
u dumb idiot, i feel very sorry for you though…
ipod, on July 17th, 2007 at 12:25 am