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

[ttyy]

He has a very handsome mug. He could be an actor.

[Knowledgeseeker]

may the boy goal is to eventually become a shemale or a katoy. I see nothing wrong with that, more power to him.

[zizyphus]

Creep.

[TheBrainsBehindPa]

Keep "seeking" there, fella. You're bound to find "knowledge" sooner or later. It hasn't happened so far, but you never know.

[Knowledgeseeker]

that's the only way my friend.

[dlvme2]

Every story winds up being about a persons appearance and not about what occurred - this is a sad comment on society. He is a nice looking young man, wearing a hair style that is common among boys his age. He will grow up to be a very good looking man. What do all of you look like? what do your kids look like? and have you taught them to ridicule and make fun of others? I for one taught my daughter to judge people by the type of person they were and to try to accept others or at least hear the other side of everything whether she agreed with it or not. That is how we learn and are able to live in the world which is becoming more diversified daily. Hate, hateful comments are what pull people apart. I hope he continues to do well and that there are no residual side effects.

[MalloMel]

Very well said.

[xtiangodloki]

Our society judges people based on their looks. I remember watching a 20/20 show where two teachers were tested to teach a group of kids (6 years I think) in the exactly same manner. The result was that the kids thought the better looking teacher was smarter, more kind, and simply better although both taught the same. In the corporate world, it has been proven that better looking and taller people get a substantially better pay (10%?) and better chances of promotion.

The world would probably be a better place if people don't judge others based on physical appearance, but then the same people who claim not to judge based on physical appearance would judge others based on other qualities which one has no control over, such as intelligence.

[plaidsportcoat]

less than beautiful people understand reality better and will eventually rule the world because of silly people who thing appearances matter. it's simple. it's true. we are the insects and bugs

[xtiangodloki]

This kid reminds of the members of the band Hanson. I guess it's good for a boy to have a pretty face or long hair, but if you put the two together then you are going to get picked on.

[plaidsportcoat]

...and have big hulking defenders, too!

[thromulese]

The story here doesn’t really seem to about the lucky boy that survived being struck by lightening.

Instead it seems to be about immature commenters that act as though they have never seen long hair on a boy.

Grow up people. You’re acting like a bunch moronic hicks.

[dlvme2]

You are correct - I am an older parent and many of my daughter's friends at school looked like this young man and they were A students, never in trouble and good people. People seem to be missing the point of many of the stories posted and concentrate on the appearance of someone in the story instead of the story - that is sad.

[fumes]

i don't get it: we cram jesus down our kids throats and when a kid turns up with His Hairstyle..

the kid gets crucified.. lol

[SiberianRat]

Heh...yep.

[Paulo1]

Ok somebody has to be low brow enough to do it: I will take one for the team and volunteer.

Gulp, here goes.

A SHOCKING STORY

[blastocyst]

'A hair-raising' spectacle for one & all.

[NKR]

LMAO

[Knowledgeseeker]

I always thought if you get hit by lightning,you end up getting supper powers, but to turn you into a girl ! is totally new for me.

[NKR]

He looks like Juno

[MalloMel]

There you go projecting again. Really, why are you so hung up on this young mans appearance? What does he stimulate in your mind? Why are you afraid of him, in that you feel the need to attack him? Are you afraid that if you accept him as he is, that it would mean that you like him? What's going on with that? I think that you doth protest too much.

[Knowledgeseeker]

for your information, I'm not attacking the boy, I'm just stating the obvious !

[Knowledgeseeker]

Have anyone ever thought maybe this is girl trying to become a boy?

[blastocyst]

Applause for the faithfulness to detail.

[mudslide]

Oh, sure... All real cute until he starts growing razors outta his fingertips and starts evaporating city buses merely with the power his wrathful thoughts...

[blastocyst]

With a purposeful grimace
And a terrible sound
He's pulls the spitting high-tension...down.

[pollyannacowgirl]

I'm laughing myself sick reading the comments here. Laughing out loud!

It's good that he's okay, but darn if my first thought wasn't "That's a BOY?!"

[LetMeUnderstandThis]

The kid survived a lighting strike is a story to be told and heard, i'm glad he's alright.

[Nishnabe]

Folks, I am a child of sixties, draft lottery winner, American Indian and one of the fights we fought then is the right to grow our hair for religious reasons. I know native boys who have waist length hair because they dance or otherwise follow the teaching of their ancestors, a right only granted to Indians in 1978. I opened this thread in hopes of reading something about other's personal experiences with this natural phenomena of lightning strikes and realized something. Like a bonehead I have ignored the invasion of Repug trolls on here trying to trivialize this website. Been noticing that threads about celebs, gossip, and other fluff, are overwhelmed with comments while the hard news stories are ignored; a sure sign of the half-wits who are even bored with the Hannity and Limbaugh reruns. Of interest to me is how this young man's life might be changed as a result not only being hit by lightning but its impact on his spiritual development and life story. No such luck today.

tantum in somnium est illic sapientia: From a survivor of Catholic and government boarding schools

[ReverseUniversal]

"Hi, I am an adult on the internet making fun of a 14 year old boy that got struck by lightning. He's got long hairs, don't you know that's for GIRLS! GIRL HAIR LIGHTNING GIRL! HAHAHA"

Excellent work, huffpost community.

[SparkyAdams]

Looks like you missed the 3 day feeding frenzy over Lance Armstrong's new born baby.

Don't kid yourself about this place.

[SiberianRat]

Thanks for the reminder--yep, time to ditch this place in search of grownups with ideas. Sparky, you can continue to ridicule children and whatnot all you want--your punishment, in the end, is being you.

[Knowledgeseeker]

He sure look like a little girl, nothing wrong with that., but If he start wearing girl clothes, it will be hard to tell he was a boy.

[MalloMel]

If he started wearing girl's cloths, would you like that? Would that turn you on??

[Knowledgeseeker]

no, how about you, will he turn you on?, people are just stating the obvious. no need for your stupid comments.

[zizyphus]

Long hair ceased being an issue about thirty years ago.

[MalloMel]

Not for the Christian Right. Wait... isn't Jesus pictured as having long hair. But then, when did the Christian Right really care about Jesus?

I've said it a thousand times, but if Jesus came down today, the Christian Right would crucify him all over again. Sorry for being so direct, but they would somehow neutralize him, and if that meant that they had to kill him... then so be it.