What should have been an ordinary walk outside Orlando suddenly became a fight for life when a bolt of lightning struck the married couple, Clare and Aaron Walenga, leaving Clare without a pulse or breath for several terrifying minutes.
Now, after surviving what could have been a deadly encounter, the couple is pointing straight to God.
“We know that God protected us,” Aaron told Inside Edition. “I mean, we are a miracle. We shouldn’t be here right now.”
Clare and Aaron were holding hands while walking along a trail with an umbrella when lightning struck, sending both of them to the ground. Police bodycam footage shown on Inside Edition captured the aftermath as those around them desperately tried to save the couple.
A 911 caller reported that Clare was not breathing and had turned blue as bystanders performed CPR and chest compressions. Aaron, meanwhile, was breathing and moving but had suffered visible injuries to his face.
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Then came the breakthrough: Clare regained a pulse.
“She’s breathing. We’re getting color back,” someone can be heard saying in the footage.
Clare told Inside Edition she was informed that she had been unconscious without a pulse or breath for approximately six to 10 minutes. Her next memory was waking up in a hospital and learning that lightning had struck them.
Aaron recalled lying on the ground, unable to speak or feel anything, while still hearing what was happening around him.
For Clare and Aaron, surviving together was more than extraordinary luck. They believe they witnessed the protective hand of God.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
