Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and for Jared Blackwelder, a farmer from Springfield, Missouri, one ordinary Saturday morning turned into a disaster. Jared and his wife Misty had fed their dairy cows as usual, unaware of the rare and devastating event that was about to unfold.
The Blackwelders had left their 32 cows to graze in the pasture, despite the storm clouds gathering on the horizon. However, when they returned a few hours later, they were met with a scene that no farmer would ever want to encounter. All 32 of their cows had been killed by a lightning strike, leaving behind a pile of lifeless bodies.
The incident was so severe that the Wright County Missouri Farm Bureau posted images of the cows, asking readers to pray for the Blackwelders. According to Stan Cody, the president of the Missouri Farm Bureau, the sheer number of cows affected made this incident particularly devastating.
A local veterinarian confirmed that lightning was the cause of death, a phenomenon that he had never seen on such a large scale. The veterinarian speculated that the cows may have been huddled together, seeking shelter from the storm, which made them more vulnerable to the lightning strike.
For Jared, the loss was not just financial, but also emotional. He had raised each of the cows and had a close bond with them. “It’s not like they are pets,” he said, “but dairy cattle are different because you interact with them twice a day. It knocks you hard.”
The financial loss was substantial, with each cow valued at between $2,000 and $2,500, totaling over $60,000. The incident was a harsh reminder of the unpredictability of life and the importance of being prepared for the unexpected.
