Wife of lightning strike survivor talks about bolt from the sky

A crabbing boat sits near the Tammy and Jerry Duff's house in Liberty.  It was struck by lightning Thursday morning with her husband and close family friend Charles Weaver Jr. in it.

"He knew that it was lightning because of the way it sounded and the flash that was before him," Tammy Duff said.

Charles Weaver Jr., 30, died almost immediately after the lightning struck the crabbing boat.  Jerry Duff tried to revive his friend.  He was unsuccessful.

Tammy Duff got a call her husband had been injured at about 10:30 Thursday morning.  The lightning burned Jerry Duff's eyes and throat.  He had a headache and ringing in his ears, which his doctor said will go away in the next two weeks.

Duff was knocked down by the lightning strike.  When he got up, he tried to start his boat, but the wires had been burned.  He waded to shore and walked almost a mile until he could wave down help.  A passing tugboat contacted another boat to help him.

"From what I understand, it was 20 to 30 miles away," Tammy Duff said.  "So how can you protect yourself? You don't think when it's sunny outside, that lightning could strike."

Jerry Duff was treated at a hospital and is recovering at home.  But he and his wife have a lot of healing to do emotionally.  They'd known Charles Weaver Jr. or Buddy for more than a decade.

"He was here a lot," Tammy said.  "I never fixed my husband a plate with out fixing him [Buddy] a plate too."

Visitation for Charles Weaver Jr. will be Sunday from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at Faith and Family Funeral Services chapel in Batson. Funeral services will be Monday at 3 p.m.