Austin Melton, 14-Year-Old Boy Struck By Lightning: "I Like Sparky" As A Nickname

Last week, 14-year-old Oregon boy Austin Melton was struck by lightning at the edge of a parking lot at his high school.

He was taken to a local hospital in critical condition before being flown to Legacy Emanuel in Portland, where he was treated in the burn unit.

The teen-ager's father, Chuck Melton, told KTVZ-TV in Bend that the lightning struck his son's head. He suffered a broken eardrum and severe burns on his ankle.

On Monday's Today show, however, Austin said he was doing well and no longer feeling much pain. As for his new nickname at school, Austin said he'd prefer "Sparky."

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Comments

[PaulKMF]

Would all you hair haters say anything if this was a girl with short hair?

[research]

the Vikings were Girls!

Jesus was a Girl.

[joyhamliton38]

She looks like a girl. Get a hair cut. LOL

[AudioCastle]

Who cares about his long hair??? Is this really an issue? We've all had friends that were boys with long hair. I had a friend with hair down to his waist. This boy is unusually good looking actually and this kind of thing can bring out unwarranted hostility and silly remarks. What matters is that he lived to tell the story. Thank goodness he's ok!!!!!!! I wish him all the best. He's donating his hair to Locks Of Love? Wow, he has a gorgeous head of hair and it will be going to a great cause.

[OBXartist]

For crying out loud, the kid was struck by lightning! What's with the obsession with his hair and his looks? Here in our small town we've got schoolkids with afros, military-style buzzcuts, mohawks, dreads, long hippy-ish locks and regular ol' "normal" hair. I'm sure you'd find it's the same in your town, if you'd just open your eyes. Certainly, you can't all be that sheltered. Who'd have thought that HuffPo readers could be so uptight? Half those posting here sound like they just stepped out of a time machine direct from the 1950s. And to question the kid's gender? That's something you might think to yourself (if it causes you that much concern) but why in the world would you feel compelled to post such undeserved ridicule live for the world to see? That's cracked.

[MalloMel]

"Half those posting here sound like they just stepped out of a time machine direct from the 1950s."

Quite a few people on here are Conservati­ves/Republ­icans. That would explain all the bigotry.

[Tactical Grace]

A friend of mine, a roofer, got hit by lightning while on the job one day. He was really not quiet right after that, kinda twitchy and all. We nick named him Zap

[fratricide08]

Sounds like a great kid. I'm glad he made it through relatively unscathed.

[ttyy]

The comments about the boy's hair come from The American Society of Shut-ins.

[aintmisbehavin]

he's probably enjoying all the hair he can accomplish until he goes bald like dear old dad.

[iloveyouauppi]

excuse me, but that is a boy and he happens to be one of my bestfriends=]
his hair makes up half of his personality! he just got struck my lighting and your worried bout his hair? wow get a life, if you knew him thats the last thing you would be saying
hes the most popluar kid in our school, and you have no right to judge!!!! thank you veryyy much,
love you sparkey

and is dad,,, oooo dnt even go there!

[goddessNdiva]

Boy?

[madfigs]

Yes, it's a boy. And yes, OMG, he has long hair!!! A BOY with LONG HAIR!!!
Quick, someone else make a comment about it!!!

[iloveyouauppi]

excuse me, but that is a boy and he happens to be one of my bestfriends=]
his hair makes up half of his personality! he just got struck my lighting and your worried bout his hair? wow get a life, if you knew him thats the last thing you would be saying

[iloveusparky]

ya. he's a boy! and i love HIM a lot! so you can get over it! he is such an amazing person!

[patrickmcdougal]

Blue Eyed Jesus had long hair.

[goddessNdiva]

Please he looks like a girl. And for the person that said Jesus had long hair...wow you must be centuries old to have seen.

[daffey]

I was wondering what all the stink about his hair is. Geeesh. This is, you know, the 21st century. I though we were supposed to be past that. Beside that, amazing story. Some weird and wild things in this old world, glad he survived. I wish him the best.

[DrJulienArbor]

If anyone knows this young man and his family please pass these links on to him...

http://www.uic.edu/labs/lightninginjury/ltnfacts.htm

http://tigger.uic.edu/labs/lightninginjury/

They may want to get in contact with Dr. Cooper as she is one of the leading authorities on being struck by lightening.

He should also consider this...

http://www.tengerism.org/becoming_a_shaman.html

He might want to read up on Shamanism...

http://www.sacred-texts.com/sha/index.htm

Also... "Sparky" is the nickname for an electric chair. He might want to rethink that one!

[drjasonmd]

He's gonna be stoked when he gets his superpowers.

[DG3]

That's a pretty boy.

[research]

You are hitting on him?

[squatmunkie]

Thats some girly hair

[research]

You are trying to pick him up or what?