Dancing One Minute, Struck by Lightning the Next: A Lightning Strike Survivor's Tale
Pavel was struck by lightning while vacationing in Georgia. Doctors, who initially thought he had passed, were surprised by his lighthearted response to the incident: "It's simply a miracle."
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Pavel Smirnov, a 32-year-old tourist from the Samara region in Russia, miraculously survived after being struck by lightning during his vacation in Batumi, Georgia. According to reports, Smirnov was affected while hanging out with friends, with the lightning strike captured on cell phones and a nearby security camera. Despite the severe impact, he remained fully conscious, suffering only minor burns on his hands and legs..
Footage shared on Russian Telegram channels shows Smirnov and his friends dancing on a pier by the sea when lightning suddenly hits him, and he collapses to the ground. His friends quickly provided first aid, and doctors who attended to the case found it hard to believe he survived. According to the doctors, the chances of surviving a direct lightning strike are slim, and it's unclear how he made it.
"One moment you're dancing, and the next you're dying," Smirnov told one Russian media outlet. "I felt immediately jinxed. I lost sensation in many limbs, and they moved uncontrollably. I felt pain in my legs and had difficulty breathing."
Even though Smirnov's clothes caught fire, and his shoes were shredded by the strike, he is expected to be released from the hospital soon after receiving initial treatment for minor burns. Smirnov still has burns on his abdomen, legs, and back, and he will be recovering from the trauma over the next few months..