Joey Nelson Jr and Randall Martin III, Georgia friends, 18 & 19, killed by lightning while fishing after severe weather descending in Waycross, Ware County.
Two recent high school graduates and best friends died last week while fishing in southern Georgia after being struck by lightning.
Joey Nelson Jr, 18 and Randall Martin III, 19, had gone fishing in Jacksonville, Thursday evening and were standing in an open field by a vehicle when they were both struck and killed by thunder according to the Ware County Sheriff’s Office.
The tragedy happened after severe weather descending over southern Georgia, circa 9 p.m, according to the National Weather Service.
Joey Nelson Jr and Randall Martin III Georgia best friends killed pursuing their passion
Family members rushed to the scene and started providing aid, deputies said.
‘When I got here and I saw him lying out here I was like, Lord, this cannot be this passionate baby…’ Martin’s aunt, Tangie Jenkins, told WTLV.
Deputies and emergency medical personnel started rendering aid, but both men died at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.
‘That was his passion,’ Martin’s grandfather, Stanley Evans, told WTLV. ‘And he passed doing what he loved, by fishing.’
Meteorologists confirmed several lightning strikes hitting the area, Thursday evening, a constant in the area during the summer.
According to meteorologist Mark Collins, sea breezes and volatile summer heat can ignite electrical discharges in the atmosphere.
‘When the cloud tops get over about 20,000 feet, you can usually get the freezing particles to create that electron charge, it creates lightning,’ Collins told News4Jax.
‘Lightning can strike when a thunderstorm is 10 miles away. Another way to look at it is, if you hear thunder, you’re capable of being struck. The clear time when it’s safe to go out is at least 15 minutes after a thunderstorm, after the last time you hear thunder,’ Collins said.
The safest place to be is inside a building or car — not under a tree, on the beach, or out on the water the meteorologist added.
Joey and Randall were 2025 graduates of Ware County High School and played for their school’s football team together, according to the City of Waycross, where both of them lived.
‘Joey and Randall were fun loving kids who brought smiles to their teammates’ faces,’ the county’s athletics page posted on Facebook. ‘Our prayers are with their families and friends at this time.’
Tips on how to protect yourself from thunder lightning
In the aftermath of the tragedies, fundraisers were created to assist the families of Joey Nelson Jr. and Randall Martin III Donations for Joey can be made here while donations for Randall’s family can be made here.
According to the National Lightning Safety Council, the teens’ deaths mark the country’s 8th and 9th deaths this year due to lightning.
Other recent deaths over the summer include a newly married groom who was struck and killed while on his honeymoon in Florida along with a Texas dad who was struck by a lightning bolt while playing golf.
The council recommends the following methods below as some ways to protect yourself from lightning:
- Having a lightning safety plan.
- Knowing where you’ll go for safety and how long it will take you to get there.
- Checking the weather forecast before leaving and if thunderstorms are predicted, consider cancelling or postponing the activity.
- Monitoring the weather, and reacting quickly to changing weather conditions.
- Paying attention to the sky. if the sky looks threatening or you hear thunder, get to a safe place immediately.
- Staying inside for 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder.
