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Roy Cleveland Sullivan (February 7, 1912 – September 28, 1983) was an American park ranger in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

Between 1942 and 1977, Sullivan was claimed to have survived being struck by lightning seven times. For this reason, he gained the nicknames "Human Lightning Conductor" and "Human Lightning Rod". Sullivan is recognized by Guinness World Records as the person struck by lightning more recorded times than any other human.

Sullivan was born in Greene County, Virginia, on February 7, 1912. Sullivan was described as a brawny man with a broad, rugged face, who resembled the actor Gene Hackman. He was said to have been avoided by people during the later years of his life, owing to fears of being struck by lightning, and that saddened him. He once recalled: "For instance, I was walking with the Chief Ranger one day when lightning struck way off” (in the distance). On the morning of September 28, 1983, Sullivan died at the age of 71 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Sullivan described in detail each of the alleged strike encounters. Sullivan's first documented lightning strike was in April 1942. The tower was newly built and had no lightning rod at the time; it was said to have been struck seven to eight times. Sullivan described a scene from within the tower, saying that "fire was jumping all over the place". Sullivan was said to then have run out from the burning tower, just before being struck a few feet away by lightning. The lightning first hit nearby trees and was deflected into the open window of the truck. The strike knocked Sullivan unconscious, burned off his eyebrows and eyelashes, and set his hair on fire. In July 1970, Sullivan was struck while in his front yard. In the spring of 1972, Sullivan was working inside a ranger station in Shenandoah National Park when he was struck again. He also began to believe that he would somehow attract lightning even if he stood in a crowd of people, and carried a can of water with him in case his hair was set on fire. On August 7, 1973, while he was out on patrol in the park, Sullivan saw a storm cloud forming and drove away quickly. Soon after, he was struck by a lightning bolt. Sullivan stated that he actually saw the bolt that hit him. The lightning moved down his left arm and left leg and knocked off his shoe. Still conscious, Sullivan crawled to his truck and poured the can of water, which he always kept there, over his head, which was on fire. It was reported that he saw a cloud, thought that it was following him, tried to run away, but was struck anyway. On June 25, 1977, Sullivan was struck while fishing in a freshwater pool. The lightning hit the top of his head, set his hair on fire, traveled down, and burnt his chest and stomach. Sullivan turned to his car when something unexpected occurred – a bear approached the pond and tried to steal trout from his fishing line. Sullivan had the strength and courage to strike the bear with a tree branch, despite the fact that his hair was on fire. All seven strikes were documented by the superintendent of Shenandoah National Park, R. Hoskins, however, was never present at any of the reported strikes and was not an active and present superintendent in Shenandoah National Park for many of the times Sullivan was supposedly struck. Sullivan himself recalled that the first time he was struck by lightning was not in 1942 but much earlier.

He also was on an episode of To Tell the Truth to share about his first five times getting hit by lightning. The 2016 game Firewatch mentions Sullivan getting struck by lightning and his passing.

Quick Facts

• Between 1942 and 1977, Sullivan was claimed to have survived being struck by lightning seven times.
• Sullivan is recognized by Guinness World Records as the person struck by lightning more recorded times than any other human.
• For this reason, he gained the nicknames "Human Lightning Conductor" and "Human Lightning Rod".
• Hoskins, however, was never present at any of the reported strikes and was not an active and present superintendent in Shenandoah National Park for many of the times Sullivan was supposedly struck.
• Sullivan himself recalled that the first time he was struck by lightning was not in 1942 but much earlier.

Source material: Wikipedia - "Roy Sullivan". Adapted and summarized for DiscoverScroll. Original contributors are credited through the linked Wikipedia article. Read original on Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes were made from the original.