In 2017, Missouri farmer Jared Blackwelder and his wife, Misty, were going about their usual daily routine, feeding their 32 dairy cows in the morning. The recent floods had passed, and although storm clouds were gathering in the distance, they weren’t expecting anything unusual.
But when they returned later that day, they found devastation—their entire herd lying motionless in a heap. The financial loss alone was staggering: each cow was worth up to $2,500, totaling over $60,000. But Jared’s heartbreak was even deeper. “They’re not pets,” he said, “but I raised them all myself.”
A local veterinarian examined the scene and confirmed the shocking truth: A single lightning strike had wiped out all 32 cows instantly. Experts called it a rare but not impossible event, although few had ever experienced such massive loss at once.