Inside the miraculous rescue of a woman struck by lightning at church
Survivor says lightning split tree then hit her
A woman who went into cardiac arrest after being struck by lightning in a Marietta church parking lot was successfully revived by quick-acting officers and firefighters, according to police.
MARIETTA, Ga. - A woman who survived a lightning strike returned to a Marietta church to thank the first responders who pulled her from the brink of death.
Jeanne Menna went into cardiac arrest last month when lightning tore through a parking lot, but quick-thinking police officers and firefighters successfully brought her back to life.
Marietta church strike
What we know:
A lightning strike blew a parking lot tree into pieces before hitting Jeanne Menna as she loaded items into her car at St. Joseph's Church in Marietta May 6. The strike sent Menna into cardiac arrest, leaving her unconscious, face down, not breathing and without a pulse amid a field of debris.
Marietta Police Officer Lutfig was the first to arrive and found Menna on the pavement. She had no pulse and immediately began CPR in the pouring rain. Officer Haney and Marietta firefighters arrived shortly after to take over life-saving measures, utilizing a defibrillator to successfully revive her.
Survival medical details
What we don't know:
Medical professionals have not explained how Menna managed to escape the severe strike without long-term complications.
Rejoining first responders
What they're saying:
"The lightning hit the tree, split it in half, hit my car and then hit me," Menna said as she recounted the terrifying ordeal. After reuniting with her rescue team weeks later, she added, "They are truly God's angels on earth."
First responders expressed deep gratitude for the rare opportunity to meet a person whose life they directly saved on duty. "To have a call like this and then get to meet the person it's rejuvenating for what we do," Marietta Fire Assistant Chief Kevin Gerhard said.
Recovery future goals
What's next:
Menna has been given a clean bill of health from her doctors, an outcome she says has completely astounded her medical team. Moving forward, she feels motivated to fulfill a renewed purpose in her life by finding ways to help other people.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Jeanne Menna, who explained what happened during the lightning strike and her recovery, as well as Marietta Police Officer Lutfig, Officer Haney and Marietta Fire Assistant Chief Kevin Gerhard.