Four women just showed how people can turn a life-threatening experience into something that brings them closer together

Sometimes the most terrifying moments in life become the most meaningful.

A group of women from Kentucky learned this lesson the hard way during what was supposed to be a relaxing girls’ trip to Florida.

And four women just showed how people can turn a life-threatening experience into something that brings them closer together.

Sisters Danielle and Taylor Sturgill, along with their friends Becky Johnson and Kelli Bryant, were enjoying a beautiful Saturday afternoon at the JW Marriott Beach Resort on Marco Island on June 21 when dark storm clouds suddenly rolled in.

The day had started perfectly, but Florida weather can change in an instant.

“The rain started coming down. There was no thunder. So I was just trying to take shelter until the rain subsided,” Danielle told Good Morning America. “And we got under the tiki and that’s when it happened.”

Lightning Strike Knocks All Four Women Unconscious

What the women thought would be a safe place to wait out the storm turned into a nightmare scenario.

Lightning struck the tiki hut they were sheltering under, and all four women were knocked unconscious by the powerful electrical current.

“I can remember really heavy pressure on my head, and then, after that, I was gone,” Danielle recalled.

Fire Chief Chris Byrne of the City of Marco Island Fire Rescue Department explained that while the lightning didn’t make direct contact with the women, the electrical energy from the strike still affected all of them.

“So, the lightning bolt didn’t have direct contact with any of the people, but the energy from it, the electricity from it did,” Byrne told PEOPLE magazine.

Emergency responders received the 911 call at 3:47 p.m. and rushed to the scene.

Rebecca Johnson described the terrifying moments after she regained consciousness.

“I completely fell backwards. It knocked me completely out,” she recalled. “Like, I went unconscious, and then, when I woke up, like, I had a pounding in my head, like the shock went through my body. I couldn’t hear. I can hardly see. I could barely walk.”

The women said they didn’t even realize what had happened until other resort guests came running to help them.

“The men running towards us saying, ‘You all just got struck by lightning.’ That’s how we knew what happened because we were all confused,” Taylor explained.

Three of the four women suffered minor injuries from the indirect lightning strike, but all four were transported to a local hospital as a precaution.

Byrne said the victims remained relatively calm while receiving treatment on the beach.

“They were presenting with obvious injuries from a lightning strike,” he noted. “Although it is frightening, and they obviously were scared, once some care was given, they were calm.”

Grateful Friends Turn Scary Experience Into Lasting Memory

Rather than let the frightening experience ruin their vacation, the four Kentucky women decided to commemorate their survival in a unique way.

Just one day after the lightning strike, they visited a local tattoo parlor to get matching lightning bolt tattoos.

“So we’re here getting lightning bolt tattoos, matching tattoos to remember our girls trip,” Danielle said while at the tattoo shop. “And just thank God that we’re here today.”

“We’re lucky to be here,” Taylor added. “And we’re so grateful to be here.”

The matching tattoos serve as a permanent reminder of how quickly life can change and how precious each moment really is.

Rebecca Johnson now has bruises behind her neck and on her arm from the lightning strike, but she considers herself incredibly fortunate.

All four women are now recovering and have returned home to Kentucky with a story they’ll never forget.

The incident also serves as an important reminder about lightning safety in Florida.

Byrne explained that Florida is known as the lightning capital of the United States, with afternoon thunderstorms typically rolling in around 3 p.m. every day.

“We always preach [that] when those conditions start to change, you need to get off the beach,” the fire chief warned. “Get into a sheltered area, a building or something with a hard roof over it, and just wait it out.”

He added an important safety tip that everyone should remember: “Typically, if you’re out in an open area and you hear thunder and you’re still out there, you’re already at risk.”

Ashley Fenoglio Ramos, who was staying at a nearby hotel, actually captured the lightning strike on video from her hotel room.

“It was a little nerve-wracking. So, there were people under the hood, and so I was a little bit concerned for their safety, but it was so loud that it kind of, like, jolted me,” Ramos said.

The four friends’ decision to get matching tattoos shows how people can find meaning and connection even in the scariest moments.

Instead of being traumatized by their brush with death, they chose to celebrate their survival and the bond they share.

Their story proves that sometimes the most unexpected experiences can bring people closer together and create memories that last a lifetime.

The lightning bolt tattoos will serve as a daily reminder that they survived something that could have easily killed them, and that every day they have together is a gift.