In August 2025, Nick Broderick and his girlfriend Eva were hiking in Kettle Moraine State Forest in Wisconsin when the weather changed. They were about two miles from their car. With rain falling and nowhere to shelter, they decided to continue towards the car park. Eva had asked what would happen if lightning struck them when a nearby tree was hit. An electric current travelled through the ground, injuring them both.
Nick was lying on his back, blue and not breathing. Eva called 911, but the phone signal was weak and she could not explain their location on the trail. She began CPR, pressing on his chest to help restart his heart. Rescuers needed 50 minutes to reach the couple. While they waited, Eva restarted Nick’s heart twice.
After three days in hospital, Nick left with slight hearing loss in one ear and damage to his tendons, which connect muscles to bones. He proposed to Eva when he left hospital. Wanting August to have a happier meaning, they married just under a year after the incident. Eva also received a lifesaving award from Palmyra Fire Department.
