The True Story of The Shreveport Lawyer Struck by Lightning on Lake Bistineau

I was today years old when I first heard the legendary story of the Shreveport lawyer who challenged God and was immediately struck by lightning on a boat.

This wild story dates all the way back to 1987, but it’s an event that people in the Ark-La-Tex still talk about. Honestly, it’s probably the exact reason our parents always told us to get off the water the second we heard a rumble of thunder.

Now, I had to dig a little into this because I was absolutely convinced it was just another spooky Louisiana urban legend. We’ve all heard them! But turns out, this is very much a real, heavily documented piece of local history.

Going through the UPI Archives from the summer of 1987, here is the unbelievable true story of what went down on Lake Bistineau:

"Maverick lawyer N. Graves Thomas stood in a boat during a thunderstorm, raised his hands and proclaimed heavenward, 'Here I am.' Moments later a lightning bolt struck him dead," witnesses said.

The lightning bolt struck Thomas, 40, in the head Monday aboard his new ski boat on Lake Bistineau. Death apparently was instantaneous as there was no exit point for the lightning, Bossier Parish sheriff's spokesman Scott Hodges said. Witnesses said Thomas stood in the back of the boat, raised his hands toward the sky and said 'Here I am' right before the strike.

Authorities said they had no explanation for the lawyer's behavior, but friends and colleagues said his actions before his death were typical of his quirky nature. Dr. Denny Gamble, who was on a houseboat nearby, tried unsuccessfully to revive Thomas, who was pronounced dead at Riverside Medical Center in Bossier City."

Talk about a jaw-dropping moment. It turns out N. Graves Thomas wasn't just any regular guy, either. He came from a massive local family of judges and attorneys and was known around town as a total firebrand.

Thomas was a former state prosecutor and assistant U.S. attorney who made a name for himself representing some of the most notorious clients in the area, including crime figures and drug smugglers. At the very time of his death, he was actually representing a man accused in a different fatal boating accident on that same lake.

So, next time a summer storm rolls over the 318 while you're out on the water, let's all agree to just pack it up and head inside. I don't know about you, but I definitely won't be testing the skies anytime soon!