PORT ORANGE, Fla. — A fisherman is back in his Port Orange home nine days after being struck by lightning.
James Church, 55, said he still has months on his long road to recovery.
Church was fishing in the north jetty at Ponce Inlet when he said the lightning hit his fishing pole, went through his abdomen and a bolt of electricity blasted out of his pinky and ring finger.
He lost those two fingers, most of his colon and parts of both intestines.
Church said even moments after the lightning struck, he didn’t lose hope.
“I was going to survive. I’m not going to die here, in my screams out of my lungs. I’m not going to die right here,” he said.
Church said he didn’t realize bad weather was that close.
"I struggled like crazy ... to get to my phone," he said. "This was the hardest part that I had to endure."
He said he plans to fish again, but not for a while.
Family and friends have been a lot of help since the lightning strike, and that has made a lot of difference, Church said.
"I have a lot of support, they've been helping me (do what) I can't do," he said. "They know I'm strong and I can really work through this, so they've been really helping me."