Teenage Sweethearts Survived Lightning Strike Because They Were Holding Hands

Two California teenage sweethearts, Dylan Corliss and Lexie Varga, said they were walking down a tree-lined street on Thursday, August 5, 2015 in Claremont, California, when they were struck by lightning. But according to a doctor who saw them after the accident, holding hands likely saved them from electrocution.

Although they were knocked to the ground by the lightning bolt, the couple escaped unharmed.

Dylan was hit first — in the head — as the couple walked hand-in-hand.

Recalling the moment, Dylan said he was holding Lexie’s hand and talking when, suddenly, they were knocked forcefully to the ground, screaming.

He told KCAL-TV(CBS Los Angeles), “It was more of shove and it felt like I was getting hit over the head with metal or something.”

“One second we were (in) one place talking and then suddenly we were on the ground looking at each other just screaming. Because we were holding hands, it transferred through me through her hands and into her body and then out of her foot.”

Lexie added, “Next thing you know, we’re on the ground and we gave each other the most terrified looks. I kind of thought there was an earthquake.”

The kids didn’t know what hit them but a passerby who saw what happened came over to help them up. The passerby told them that he saw a lightning bolt hitting them.

The two were shaken by the experience but Lexie was able to send a text message to her mother’s friend, a nurse. She also sent a text message in response to a message from her mother.

Lexie’s mom said she sent a text message to the two to ask if they were back home and received a message from Lexie saying they had been hit by a lightning bolt. She said she was happy to learn that the teens were saved by holding hands.

“I immediately texted Lexie because I knew that she and Dylan had gone on a walk and I think I said something like, ‘You two are back home, aren’t you?'”

Dr. Stefan Reynoso, at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center in Claremont, who saw the teenagers after the accident, said they suffered only minor injuries. Holding hands may have saved their lives, the doctor said.

According to Reynoso, holding hands helped to “diffuse the electrical current.” In other words, the two shared the full power of the electrical current making it less potent to cause harm.

“These two were lucky they that they were holding hands. It helped to diffuse the electrical current that ran through their bodies.”

Reynoso explained that the bolt hit Dylan in the head and passed through his hand to Lexie’s and then to the ground through her feet, KCAL-TV reports.

“The chance of getting hit by lightning is very uncommon and perhaps one in a million,” he added.

The teens, who are celebrating their six-month anniversary this weekend, were happy to learn that their public display of mutual affection saved their lives.

Dylan said, “I’ve heard that we have an electric relationship and I also heard that sparks flew, and, yeah, that it’s really shocking.”

He concluded that “holding hands is a good thing because if we hadn’t, we wouldn’t have shared the strike.”

“I think we’re just happy to be here,” Vagra added.

[Image: KCAL-TV via YouTube]