First person to ever be struck by meteorite was hit while taking a nap
Ann Hodges is known as the only person on record to have been stuck by a meteorite and survived.
The crazy incident took place a long time ago in Sylacauga in Alabama, US, on 30 November, 1954.
Up until then, Hodges was with her husband, living a relatively quiet life.
However, following her meteorite encounter, she became a part of scientific history.
Advert
Her life changed forever when a meteorite, later identified as a fragment of the Sylacauga meteorite, came hurtling through the Earth’s atmosphere.
Coming in at around 3.9kg, while travelling at over a hunded miles per hour, it broke apart and smashed through the roof of Hodges' home.
The large piece of rock crashed into the living room, rebounded off a large wooden radio, and then struck Hodges.
Napping on the couch at the time, the impact startled her awake and left her with a large bruise on her side without further physical injuries.
Although things could have been a lot worse, Hodges still suffered from massive hematoma and significant shock following the incident.
After the event, Hodges became a household name and drew massive attention from the media, something she was not ready for.
Though things became even more difficult when the meteorite was initially seized by the Sylacauga police and later by the United States Air Force.
This meant that the Alabama couple were not allowed to keep the meteorite to themselves.
The United States Air Force said they needed access to the rock to verify its origin.
Thankfully, Hodges and her husband's legal battle for the meteorite was a success and they were allowed to keep their prized possession.
However, this ended up causing another legal dispute with their landlady, Bertie Guy.
Guy claimed ownership of the meteorite since it had fallen on her property.
Again, after some negotiation, Hodges was able to keep the rock for herself.
She eventually donated it to the Alabama Museum of Natural History after years of using it as a doorstop.
Asides from having an incredible story to tell, the event had a largely negative impact on Hodges' life.
The stress and public attention reportedly contributed to the deterioration of her mental health.
She and her husband’s marriage suffered, and in 1972, she died of kidney failure at the age of 52.
Anish Vij