Woman recounts lightning strike experience from 2017 just days after teen was struck on Marco Island

Over the weekend a teenage boy was struck by lightning on Marco Island. But, this isn’t the first time a person has been struck in Southwest Florida in recent years.

Meghan Davidson lost her child when she was nine months pregnant and was struck by lightning in 2017. Now, she’s praying for the best outcome for Walker Bethune.

The 911 calls from 2017 when Davidson was struck by lightning are not easy to listen to.

You can hear first responders say, “She’s not awake. She’s not breathing. She’s pregnant. I’m not sure how far along.”

Meghan Davidson was already 39 weeks pregnant with her third child when she was struck by lightning in Fort Myers.

“I was having irregular contractions. I was a week away from my due date,” Davidson said. “So, I thought I’ll go for a walk to try to speed along the process of my contractions and I just walked down the road and it happened.”

She spoke to WINK News on Tuesday after hearing, as many of you have, about 17-year-old Walker Bethune. He is a teen boy from Macon, GA and was struck by lightning while on vacation on Marco Island.

The 911 calls from Saturday afternoon are difficult to listen to as well. “Someone got struck by lightning,” they said screaming.

For Davidson, this recent victim brings up a lot of emotion for her. “Obviously brings up a lot of emotions and just…wanting him to be okay. I just instantly went to God in prayer for his life,” she said.

At a memorial service held in Macon on Sunday at the school Bethune attends, his family asked for prayers, very specific prayers. Prayers for Walker’s heart, lungs and kidneys.

Davidson says she delivered her baby after the lightning strike but he didn’t survive so she donated her baby Owen’s organs.

“I miss him, I love him, but I know I’m going to see him one day,” said Davidson said.

She knows and understands Bethune’s pain more than most of us ever will. And, she has a message for all of us, years after her accident.

“Cherishing time with those you love, being fully present, because none of us, none of us, are going to live forever,” she said.

Since surviving the lightning strike, Davidson has had another baby. But, she tells WINK News, her baby Owen will always be near and dear to her heart.