Georgia Community Mourns Teens Struck And Killed By Lightning While Fishing
on Jul 18, 2025
Two Teenagers Tragically Struck And Killed By Lightning
Two teenagers from Waycross, Georgia, were tragically killed on July 10, after they were believed to have been struck by lightning during a fishing trip.
Relatives reported the deaths of 18-year-old Joey Nelson Jr. and 19-year-old Randall Martin III after discovering their bodies near their vehicle.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) are investigating their deaths, which authorities believe was due to the lightning.
The teens were reportedly heading to their car when they were struck, and investigators say both bodies and the car appeared to have lightning damage.
Summer fishing trip turns deadly as lightning strike claims lives of 2 teens: 'Full of promise':
— Elwin Sidney (@ElwinSidney) July 16, 2025
A summer fishing trip ended in tragedy for two Georgia teenagers who were fatally struck by lightning on the way back to their car.
Joey Nelson Jr., 18, an… https://t.co/RNbDjYSNhj
Georgia Families Remember The Young Men
A GoFundMe created to support Nelson’s family described the Ware County High School graduate as a young man “full of promise and deeply cherished by his family, friends, and community.”
“His sudden loss has left an unfillable void in the hearts of all who knew him,” organizers wrote.
A GoFundMe for Martin said that he was nicknamed “Bubba” and loved fishing.
“He touched the lives of so many in different ways,” the GoFundMe said.
Background Information On Lightning Strikes
Lightning strikes are uncommon, with a very low chance of affecting any one person in a given year. However, the cumulative risk over a lifetime is much higher and in the United States, the odds are less than one in a million per year, but about 1 in 15,300 over a lifetime.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), almost 90% of all lightning strike victims survive.
“There are some factors that can put you at greater risk for being struck, such as participating in outdoor recreational activities or working outside. Regional and seasonal differences can also affect your risk of being struck by lightning,” the CDC website states.
