Florida Couple Struck by Lightning on Trail Survives, Credits Good Samaritans

A Florida husband and wife who were struck by lightning as they walked hand in hand are expressing gratitude to a fast-acting group of strangers who they say helped save their lives. Aaron Walenga, 48, and Clare Walenga, 43, his wife of 17 years, had just left their children at church and were on the West Orange Trail in Winter Garden, in central Florida, when the bolt hit them on Sept. 2. They had not heard any indication that a storm was developing, yet the lightning struck their umbrella, causing both to fall. Clare lost consciousness. Clare received CPR after the strike, while Aaron was taken to a hospital. Both lived through the near-fatal incident, an outcome the couple attributed to four friends from a weekly running club. Charlotte Sachetti Weyand and Amber McManus were close by when the lightning struck and called 911. Michael Weyand saw that Clare's skin had turned blue and began emergency measures. "I've never seen anybody that color in my life before," Michael Weyand said. "I checked to see if she was breathing and she wasn't. Instinctually I started to CPR, which instinctually is not something I do every day," he added. "I've never done CPR before in my life. But in that moment, I knew I had to start." Aaron could not assist his wife, a mother of three, because he was in extreme pain. "I wanted to get to Clare, and I just couldn't get up," he said. "I couldn't really move, and I was in the worst pain of my life." Clare was given chest compressions and drew a large breath just before mouth-to-mouth resuscitation was to begin. "I don't know how to describe the feeling," said Tiffany Roby, who was also present. The Walengas, who live in Apopka, were hospitalized. Clare had a concussion, and Aaron had bruises on his face. The couple expressed deep gratitude to the Good Samaritans. "There were so many miracles that we witnessed from Claire being brought back to life to, the four of you being there on that trail at that time," Aaron said. "The gift of life that we have is just so beautiful," Clare said. A fundraiser for the couple has collected more than $65,000. Relatives said Clare had shown significant improvement only two days after the lightning strike. "We have seen God answer so many prayers, and Clare and Aaron have come a long way in such a short amount of time," they said. "We remain hopeful and thankful as they continue on the road to recovery." Each year, the likelihood of being struck by lightning is below one in a million, and nearly 90 percent of people struck by lightning survive, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Still, recent months have brought a series of deadly lightning incidents.