Summer fishing trip turns deadly as lightning strike claims lives of 2 teens: ‘Full of promise’
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A summer fishing trip ended in tragedy for two Georgia teenagers who were fatally struck by lightning on the way back to their car.
Joey Nelson Jr., 18, and Randall Martin III, 19, both of Waycross, were killed July 10, after storms rolled through the city.
Ware County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call at about 10:15 p.m. in Waycross, and found Nelson and Martin dead next to a vehicle.
The pair had been fishing and did not return home as expected, according to a news release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI).
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Nelson and Martin were found by family members, who called 911.
The GBI found the duo were fishing when “they were overtaken by a severe thunderstorm,” according to the release.
As they were returning to their car, they were struck by lightning.
The car also appeared to be hit by lightning, officials said.
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A GoFundMe created for Nelson’s family described the 2025 high school graduate as being “full of promise and deeply loved by his family, friends, and community.”
“His sudden loss has left an unfillable void in the hearts of all who knew him,” according to the fundraiser.
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A GoFundMe organized by the Martin family noted Randall died doing “something he loved.”
“He touched the lives of so many in different ways,” organizers wrote on the site.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the fundraisers had raised more than $17,000 for both families.
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The GBI Medical Examiner’s Office will complete an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.
The investigation is still active and ongoing, according to the GBI.