In 1980 a 62-year-old man, blinded in a traumatic accident, regained his sight after he was struck by lightning near his home. Doctor confirmed that Edwin E. Robinson, a former truck driver could see for the first time since he became blind as the result of highway accident 9 years ago.

“It(his sight) isn’t completely restored” said Robinson’s wife, Doris. “But he can see straight in front of him, which he has not been able to do in 9 years” “You read about things like this, but you can’t really believe them,” she said.

Robinson was knocked to the ground by lightning when he took shelter beneath a poplar tree near his house in this portland suburb during a thunderstorm.

“It sounded like someone snapped a whip. The next thing i knew, I came to, face down in the water at the foot of the tree,” he recalled. His wife said he apparently was unconscious for 20 minutes. weak and dehydrated, he return to his bedroom for a nap. “My legs were like rubber, my whole body felt like it was trembling,” he said. The lightning also broke his hearing aid.

“When i got up in the evening, I was sitting in the chair in the front room. I could see the plaque on the wall, and I could see the clock. But the clock kept fading in and out.” he said. His wife found him in his bedroom.”I can see you! i can see you! i can see the house! i can read!” she quoted him as saying.she also said he was able to hear perfectly without his hearing aid.

Dr. Willian F. Taylor examined Robinson and confirmed he has regained both sight and hearing. Calling it “one for the books,” Taylor said the rubber-soled shoes Robinson was wearing when struck by lightning may have saved his life.