We all know what it's like to be caught in a storm and how scary it can be when thunder and lightning are involved. I love thunderstorms but have a healthy respect for lightning for sure. Hands down the scariest situation I have ever been in was years ago I was out on a lake near Nashwauk with a few friends in a super old slow pontoon boat. All of a sudden seemingly out of nowhere a storm came rolling through.

Thunder, lightning, super heavy rain, and even hail. We of course were on the oldest slowest pontoon known to man and were way out on the lake. I just sat down on the floor of the boat and hoped that none of us or the boat got struck by lightning. It took us about 20 minutes to get to shore and we all hopped off and ran into the cabin, thankfully we were all ok, just soaking wet.

This couple sadly was not so lucky. James (Jim) Mueller, 76, and Donna Mueller, 75, of Janesville, Wisconsin were on a trip to the East Coast to celebrate their 56th wedding anniversary when tragedy struck yesterday. The couple and 2 other people took cover under a tree during a storm at a park right next to the White House in Washington D.C. when there was a lightning strike. The Muellers and a 29-year-old man who was also under that same tree all were killed.

Jacqui Hein, who lives across the street from the Muellers said to WMTV15:

You’d never think that simply standing outside could take your life, It is just a shock to process that. It’s a shock to process that it happened to people that are so close to you.

Jim Mueller owned his own drywall business for decades and  Donna was a teacher for years and most recently was working at a furniture store. A coworker said she has just talked to Donna a few days ago and she was saying how she is having the time of her life in Washington D.C. Just so incredibly sad how quickly things like this can happen.

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