A 54-year-old Georgia woman is recovering after being struck by lightning outside her church on May 6, an event so powerful it caused a nearby tree to explode and sent her into cardiac arrest. Mary 'Jeanna' Menna was exiting her vehicle at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cobb County when the strike occurred during a severe storm.
Surveillance footage from the church parking lot captured the moment the lightning hit a tree adjacent to Menna's car. The bolt reportedly split the tree in half and sent a shockwave through her vehicle. Menna lost consciousness and was found by paramedics not breathing and without a pulse. She received emergency CPR at the scene before being transported to Kennestone Hospital, where she survived.
At a press conference held this week to thank the first responders, Menna recounted the experience, stating her last memory was being in her car during heavy rain, thunder, and lightning. "Apparently the lightning hit the tree, split it in half, hit my car, and I went into cardiac arrest," she said.
Marietta Fire Assistant Chief Kevin Gerhard noted the challenging conditions due to the torrential rain, which complicated rescue efforts. "One of the biggest challenges is it was raining so bad, so we had to get her out of the rain and into the ambulance," Gerhard said.
Menna has since received a clean bill of health and attributes her survival to her faith, referring to the paramedics who saved her life as "truly, God's angels on earth."