My Pearl Jam/Lightning Bolt story

lbc72 wrote:

Hey, jammers…have a got a lil story for you. Well as some of you may know, I was fortunate enough to win the Pearl Jam/Sirius Contest where fans were asked to submit their Pearl Jam Story. As a result of winning, I will be headed this weekend to see our boys perform in their hometown of Seattle for the first time. You know, my dad always said, if you have a good story, you should tell it. So, I thought it would be cool to share with you, my fellow jammers, my personal Pearl Jam/Lightning Bolt story. It’s a bit of a read…but I think many of you will enjoy it. OK here goes…

During the summer of 1990, while some of the Faithfull were discovering this new band called Pearl Jam, I was 18 years old and heading out to go diving 3 miles off the coast of the Florida Keys. This was to be my best friend (since I was two) and mine, last trip before I left to go away to college the following week. After a couple of dives, we noticed that the sky had turned very dark. We made the decision to head back to the boat quickly. My buddy arrived at the boat first. When I swam up, he was sitting in the boat with his hand on the center console and his leg tangling in the water. So, I decided to do the old pull his leg as if I'm a shark joke. I approached slowly, reached up and pulled down hard on his leg. Well, at the very moment I did...a lightning bolt struck the fishing rods in the rod holders on the console. The bolt traveled through his body and directly into my arm then chest throwing me back into the water some 20 feet. I woke up floating face down in the water only to look up and see my boat in the near distance on fire. I quickly swam back to the boat. I found my friend alive but in shock. We quickly put out the small fire and shot off flares.

With the pouring rain, lightning strikes all around us and our boat destroyed, we were forced to sit there and ride out the storm. After a hour, a boat came to our rescue and towed us back to shore. They said they saw our boat get struck but could not reach us sooner as the storm had turned too severe. They couldn’t believe we were alive. We were taken to a nearby hospital. We checked out ok. But it is noteworthy that our EKGs showed both our hearts stopped at the very same time. Our ER doctor turned out to be an expert on severe weather, specifically lightning strikes. He told us that we really should not have survived such a strike. He went on to explain that when lightning strikes a boat of our size, it will tend to stay in the boat killing anyone in it and exit the prop killing any mammal within 50 feet or less. However, due to me “pulling my friend's leg” at that very moment the strike occurred, I provided the bolt a straight exit saving my friend's life. He could not explain how I survived absorbing the brunt on the hit. Only adding "I guess it just wasn't your time to go son".

In 1994, I was house sitting for a friend and looking for a movie to watch. As I was bent over, a CD fell off the shelf above and hit me in the head. It was Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy album. I had heard ”Betterman” before and liked it. So, I decided to play the song. Thinking I was on the right track I let it play, but it turned out to be Corduroy (yeah I know). It was amazing…after it finished, I found Betterman…liked it so much I decided to sit down and listen to the whole album. Then the song “Nothingman” came on. I will never forget the feeling I had when I heard Ed sing the lyric ‘caught a bolt of lightning, cursed the day he let it go”. I couldn’t believe it…those words personified me. And at that very moment, Pearl Jam instantly became my favorite band.

Fast forward to July 19, 02013…23 years to the day that I was struck by lightning. There I am at Wrigley Field to see Pearl Jam play one of their most special shows to date. Feeling fortunate to be surrounded by my wife and my boys (Lou and Fyfe), I couldn’t believe the turn of events as it became clear the storms and specifically the lightning in the area would delay the show. To commemorate this anniversary of mine, I was hopeful that they would play Nothingman And the band did not let me down. With lightning storms in the distance headed our way, I stood in the sea of 40,000 jammers and sang with them “caught a bolt of lightning, cursed the day he let it go”. It was AMAZING. Every time I hear that song live, I get chills thinking back to the day when I first heard that lyric.

Without question, I truly feel I will be cursed the day I lose my grasp on what occurred that day on the ocean. I don't live in fear mind you. I share this story from time to time. It humbles me every time as I feel fortunate to be alive. With the new album just released titled “Lightning Bolt”, I could not be happier as they continue to create music that seems to speak directly to me…hearing the song “lightning bolt” that night and the lyric ‘"In stages when you know not who to be, until the lightning strike sets you free". It solidified my love for Pearl Jam…they have changed my life for the better. From my wife and me traveling to shows together to all the friends I have met over the years, I will forever be grateful to them. So, that’s it…I hope you enjoyed my Pearl Jam/Lightning Bolt story. I look forward to the day our paths cross. Peace be with you.

lbc72 wrote:

The naming of album, Lightning Bolt was crazy cool. When I heard the title I thought...man this is gonna be a good one. And I would love a tatt of a lightning bolt with the lyrics but the only place it should is on my forearm...but I'm not sure I could handle that kinda of pain. hahaha!