I would never have believe anyone could live through this!!

United States
January 31, 2007 8:25pm CST
This amazing interview was on today's Oprah Show. Have you ever heard of such a miracle? In summer 2006, while on vacation in Colorado, high school friends Zach and Ernie went on a hike in the mountains. As they ascended the 13,000-foot peak, the boys reveled in the bright, sunny day. "I was proud of myself for making it to the top. It's a hard climb," Zach says. "We were jumping around, excited about the hike. We were just enjoying the view." As they were about to start their descent, storm clouds quickly rolled in. Before they knew what had happened, both boys were knocked to the ground. "I just heard a really large crash. My legs went out from under me and my whole body just cringed," Ernie says. They'd been struck by lightning. The bolt—with an estimated 30 MILLION VOLTS of electricity—struck Zach in the back of the head, traveled the length of his body, came out his left foot, and then hit Ernie. "I just felt a wave of energy going down my body and it was real hot. I fell straight to the ground," Ernie says. "When I fell to the ground, you know, I was just kind of in a panic. I didn't know what had happened and I tried moving my legs but I couldn't move them at all." Ernie laid on his back for 10 or 15 seconds, trying to figure out what had happened. When he realized Zach was down, too, Ernie crawled over to his friend. Zach wasn't breathing and had no pulse. His pants were completely shredded, and his jacket and his shirt were melted to his arms. He was bleeding out of his eye from where the lightning had hit him. Ernie says he thought his friend was dead. "First thing I did, I just said a prayer," Ernie says. "I just said, 'God, if it's your will for us to die, let it be.' Because I didn't know what was wrong with me. I could hardly breathe. And I said, 'But if it is your plan for us to get down, we're going to need your strength right now.'" Then remembering a ninth-grade class, Ernie performed CPR on Zach for about 20 seconds before Zach started breathing again. "I saw that he was alive and then I just kind of panicked," Ernie says. "I went over to Zach's backpack because his grandma's cell phone was in there." Zach's dad, Scott, initially thought that Ernie was teasing but realized that this was no prank. After calling 911, the boys were found in about 90 minutes. Ernie says that he thinks his prayer to God is what saved him. "I believe that he was there and this was part of his plan. Being on that mountain and remembering how helpless I was, I had no hope in myself. I was physically incapable of standing up. I believe in God and I believe that he has a plan [for] everybody."
3 people like this
3 responses
@sunshinecup (7871)
1 Feb 07
How amazing! I would have to agree with Ernie on this one, it sounds like it may have been part of plan. What a wonderful story.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
1 Feb 07
wouldnt you believe in something after living thru that????? maybe grandfather came down to help him think of things to do for his friend
@lonewolfnan (4366)
• Canada
1 Feb 07
This was a good story on belif and not panicing.Their faith was tested but they came through it. I do not get the chance to watch Oprah too often(I am not a fan of hers)but I wish I had heard the story the lads had to tell.