Martin told Outside that he believes lightning struck the tree the two were standing under and then traveled through the ground to make contact with them. “It was not a direct strike to the body,” Martin told Outside. When lightning strikes the ground, the National Weather Service writes that the electrical discharge “and along the ground surface (not deep into the ground). The best way to prevent being struck by lightning is to avoid bad weather. In this educational series, Outside shares ways to keep you safe from lightning if you’re caught in a storm.