A firefighter in Cullman County, Alabama, is recovering after being struck by lightning on Sunday, a little over a year after a firework incident left him with minor injuries. The man, James Lawley, was celebrating his daughter's birthday when storms moved into the area.
Lawley told WVTM 13 that he was standing near a car and firetruck when the lightning strike occurred. "The only thing I remember is kind of grabbing my chest and saying that ‘I’m hit, I’m hit,’" he recalled. "I just didn’t know what was going on. I knew that something had happened because people were screaming and crying but I didn’t know what was happening at the time."
Emergency medics informed Lawley that they believe he was struck by a secondary lightning strike, a circumstance that likely contributed to his survival.
The incident occurred on July 5, the same date Lawley experienced another close call last year. On July 5, 2025, while setting off fireworks on a beach, one firecracker malfunctioned and exploded in his face, requiring several stitches for injuries to his nose and face. Lawley noted the coincidence, joking that he might be running out of luck on that particular date.
In addition to these incidents, Lawley has undergone five rounds of chemotherapy since 2021. Reflecting on the recent lightning strike, he stated, "You never know when it’s your last day, you never know when something freak could happen."
Lawley added, “So make sure you treat everyday like it’s your last day.” He also quipped that he might need to be wrapped in bubble wrap for next year's Fourth of July weekend to avoid a third consecutive injury.