#lmao look at me talking about mike in present tense as if he's not 6 ft under

[lafresnaya]

Been doing some research for a mini, mike-themed, conspiracy-esque board, and I've come across some interesting things:

Firstly, a 1981 article on the effects of being struck by lightning.

It's... very, very interesting how many ways a lightning strike can mess up your body. Human beings are very fragile things indeed. Notably, though, the results were that 'no continuing problems [were] observed' in the victim, which checks out. ["The doctors told me there would be no long-term damage from my accident."]

This 2008 article has a few things of relevance; namely that lightning strike victims:

Bear lichtenberg figures as a result of damage to the capillaries which usually go away in 24 hrs, but may be associated with 'deep pigmentation'. But I don't think this is the case with Mike, as I believe his scars are pale/almost-white. ["his face got so pale his branching scar seemed almost to vanish"]

May experience keraunoparalysis; the temporary paralysis of of the limbs, as result of the lightning's electricity taking the path of least resistance (i.e. through the nerves) and playing havoc with the nervous system and subsequently, both motor ability & sensation. ["you’re trapped in a statue of yourself"]

May experience retrograde amnesia; the inability to remember past events/experiences. ["The part that always bothered me was how I didn’t remember it. Not really."]

He was almost certainly hit dead-on/directly by lightning.

There's a few types of lightning strikes from what I can tell; direct, side flash (indirect), ground current & upward-streamers. The fact that Dominic Swain was unharmed (and within hearing distance of Mike, right before the flash) suggests that it wasn't a side-flash or ground current. You need a tall object for an upward streamer, but they were "playing in a field" so it's unlikely to have been that. That leaves only a direct strike. Direct strikes are less likely to have living victims, but this is TMA. And Mike survived. Mostly.