A Florida couple were hit by lightning while walking hand in hand – and they hailed a quick-thinking group of good Samaritans who helped save their lives.
Aaron Walenga, 48, and his wife of 17 years, Clare Walenga, had just dropped their kids off at church and were walking along the West Orange Trail in central Florida when they were struck by the bolt on Sept. 2.
CPR was given to Clare Walenga, 43, after she was struck, while Aaron was hospitalized, but both survived the near-death experience thanks to the actions of four pals on their weekly running club.
“There were so many miracles that we witnessed from Claire being brought back to life to, the four of you being there on that trail at that time,” Aaron said.
Aaron and Clare Walenga were struck by the lightning bolt – even though they didn’t hear any signs that a storm was brewing.
Luckily for them, Charlotte Sachetti Weyand and Amber McManus were nearby when the lightning struck – and they called 911.
Meanwhile Michael Weyand realized Clare Walenga’s skin was blue, prompting him to start life-saving measures.
“I’ve never seen anybody that color in my life before,” he said. “I checked to see if she was breathing and she wasn’t.”
“Instinctually I started to CPR, which instinctually is not something I do every day,” he added. “I’ve never done CPR before in my life. But in that moment, I knew I had to start.”
Aaron Walenga was unable to help his wife – a mom of three – due to the sheer amount of pain he was in.
“I wanted to get to Clare, and I just couldn’t get up,” he said. “I couldn’t really move, and I was in the worst pain of my life.”
Clare Walenga was given chest compressions and she took a “massive breath” just before mouth to mouth was about to be administered.
“I don’t know how to describe the feeling,” Tiffany Roby, who was also at the scene, said.
Clare and Aaron, who live in Apopka, were hospitalized. She suffered a concussion while he had bruises on his face.
The couple couldn’t thank the Good Samaritans enough for helping save his wife.
“There were so many miracles that we witnessed from Claire being brought back to life to, the four of you being there on that trail at that time,” he said.
“The gift of life that we have is just so beautiful,” Clare said.
A fundraiser was created for the couple and more than $65,000 has been raised.
Relatives said that Clare had made “significant progress” just two days on from the lightning strike.
“We have seen God answer so many prayers, and Clare and Aaron have come a long way in such a short amount of time,” they said. “We remain hopeful and thankful as they continue on the road to recovery.”
The odds of being struck by lightning each year are less than one in a million, and almost 90% of lightning strike victims survive, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention says.
But there have been a string of lightning-related fatalities in recent months.
🇺🇸⚡ Couple survives lightning strike and thanks God. Aaron and Clare Walenga were walking hand in hand along the West Orange Trail in Winter Garden, Florida, when lightning struck their umbrella on September 2. Both fell to the ground, with Clare becoming unconscious and losing her pulse, while Aaron suffered injuries and struggled to move. Several bystanders called 911 and began CPR before emergency responders arrived. Both were hospitalized and later said they were on track for a full recovery. Their experience highlights how critical an immediate response can be during cardiac arrest, while the couple personally credits God and the support around them for their survival. In this case, faith is part of their interpretation, while the actions of bystanders and medical care were also documented factors in their recovery. https://t.co/KOZzi9YpXb
— ULTIMAHORAENX (@ULTIMAHORAENX) September 19, 2026