14 People Were Simultaneously Struck by Lightning in 2017 — Why They've Stayed in Touch Nearly 10 Years Later

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3 days ago

After 14 people were simultaneously struck by lightning at a music festival in France in 2017, many have stayed in touch
The survivors continue to navigate health issues, PTSD and a forever-altered perspective on life
"There were no dead bodies because we shared the charge," said a survivor
A group of people who were simultaneously struck by lightning at a music festival in France in 2017 have remained close — and agreed to be studied by scientists, according to reports.
That year, on Sept. 2, more than a dozen people were injured, two of whom were in serious condition, when they were hit by a lightning strike at Le Vieux Canal music festival in Azerailles in the north-east of the country, Le Monde, the BBC and NME reported. The group, which included children, sought shelter in a festival tent when the violent storm struck.
Officials said that those injured were "directly hit by the lightning and suffered burns,' and the rest of the day's events were cancelled, the BBC reported at the time. But that wasn't the end of the story.
In a recent feature, Le Monde reported that the 14 people injured by the storm, including some others who weren't hospitalized, formed a group of about 20 people who met in the following months. On Sept. 8, 2018, the adults marked the anniversary by returning to Azerailles to reconnect once more – including Raphaëlle Manceau, 46, and Jocelyne Chapelle, 66. They were the most adversely affected by the strike, according to the outlet.
Chapelle was paralyzed and didn't think she'd ever walk again, while Manceau navigated exhaustion and 'unbearable' pain in her head and feet where the current had traveled.
In the months after the strike, Manceau struggled with speech and coordination, according to the outlet. Though she was able to regain her speech, she still struggles with extreme fatigue and memory loss. "I've finally accepted that I am not quite myself anymore," she told Le Monde.
Despite their separate struggles, the women connected and stayed in contact as they healed. Chapelle, a retired funeral director, now goes on miles-long hikes.
"Raphaëlle came to see me a month after the lightning strike and we called each other often," Chapelle told the paper. "We helped each other through the tough times."
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The women, who were strangers before the festival, are among a number of survivors of the Azerailles strike who have remained connected as they navigate long-term health issues, post-traumatic stress disorder and an altered perspective on life, Le Monde reported.
All of the people who were hit by lightning have agreed to be test subjects so that scientists can learn more about group lightning strikes. By studying the impact of the incredibly rare incident, scientists can note the different effects on individuals, according to Le Monde.
A medical resident, Rémi Foussat, dismissed the theory that sharing the charge helped save everyone who was struck, calling it 'too simplistic,' according to the outlet. But Herbert Ernst, a correspondent for L'Est Républicain who was also struck by lightning, is sticking by the idea.
"There were no dead bodies," he told Le Monde, "because we shared the charge. Maybe that explanation isn't true, but I don't care – it's what binds us. When we get together, it's hard to explain. It's like being filled up with emotion."
Read the original article on People