{"id":6020,"date":"2026-06-30T22:35:38","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T22:35:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020"},"modified":"2026-06-30T22:35:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T22:35:38","slug":"how-a-lightning-strike-changed-bob-dugans-life-and-mission-to-save-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020","title":{"rendered":"How a lightning strike changed Bob Dugan\u2019s life and mission to save others"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

Bob Dugan\u2019s life changed forever without warning.<\/p>\n

The lifelong golfer and avid angler was overseeing the prestigious Northern Amateur in July 1986 when he met the inventor of Thor Guard, a lightning prediction system. Dugan was intrigued by the man\u2019s fish finder but skeptical when the conversation turned to predicting lightning.<\/p>\n

Read more DeSantis locks in funding for AIDS drug program<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI said, \u2018You can\u2019t predict lightning. I\u2019ve played golf my whole life at a very high level. Can\u2019t do it,’\u201d Dugan recalled.<\/p>\n

The inventor insisted on bringing his device to the tournament.<\/p>\n

Late one afternoon, he radioed tournament officials and told them to suspend play because lightning was imminent. Dugan and others walked onto the patio, looked toward the sky and scratched their heads.<\/p>\n

There wasn\u2019t a cloud in sight.<\/p>\n

The inventor soon became more urgent and implored officials to clear the course. Skeptically, they suspended play as volunteers and players slowly returned to the clubhouse, despite seeing nothing imminent overhead.<\/p>\n

However \u2014 before all the golfers could take shelter \u2014 11 minutes after the initial warning, a single bolt shot from a storm 50 miles away and struck six golfers on the 18th fairway.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cThe strike I saw was called a bolt from the blue,\u201d Dugan said.<\/p>\n

The experience shook him.<\/p>\n

He couldn\u2019t stop thinking about how close the incident had come to becoming a tragedy and how helpless everyone on the golf course had been.<\/p>\n

Four years later, he joined Thor Guard, where he now serves as CEO and president of the industry leader in lightning and severe storm prediction.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As July arrives in Florida, few places are more dangerous than the Sunshine State, where sea breezes from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean collide daily to produce sudden and powerful thunderstorms.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019ll be lightning everywhere,\u201d Dugan said. \u201cIt could happen anytime during the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Florida recorded 22 million lightning strikes in 2025, including 6.5 million in South Florida. The most dangerous corridor stretches along Interstate 4 from Tampa to Daytona, with the north end of Tampa Bay the hottest spot for activity.<\/p>\n

To Dugan, those aren\u2019t merely statistics but reminders that danger cannot be detected by sight, sound or instinct.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor so many years, everybody thought they could just look at the storm and know whether they\u2019re safe or not,\u201d he said. \u201cDon\u2019t push your fate, because if you make a mistake and you get hit, the consequences are you\u2019re finished, or your life is going to be a lot different than it was before you got hit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thor Guard has grown into a global operation, serving thousands of customers at thousands of properties, including NASA, the U.S. military, airports, universities, NFL teams and golf courses.<\/p>\n

Golf remains one of the company\u2019s largest customer bases, especially in Florida, where clients include UCF, Rollins College, Orange Lake Golf Resort, Seminole Golf Club, Trump Doral, Boca West and the University of Miami.<\/p>\n

Dugan wishes more facilities would embrace the technology.<\/p>\n

Thor Guard has worked with the USGA since the 1995 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, also site of the 2026 edition. LIV Golf uses the system, and the LPGA Tour was a longtime client.<\/p>\n

One of Dugan\u2019s early close calls came during an LPGA event in Illinois. Stationed in a restroom building with power and a radio, he watched the electrical readings climb and urged officials to suspend play despite blue skies overhead.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re standing around and asking what\u2019s going on,\u201d Dugan said. \u201cI showed them the numbers and said, \u2018Suspend play right now.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more NASA considers moon mission for Mars-type rover<\/a><\/p>\n

About 15 minutes later, lightning struck roughly 100 yards away.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the beginning of our career with the LPGA,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Soon afterward at another tournament, Thor Guard detected unusual electrical activity that Dugan later learned was caused by a tornado that passed a quarter-mile north of the golf course and destroyed event tents.<\/p>\n

That experience eventually spurred a technological upgrade allowing the company to also predict tornadoes and severe storms.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one in the world has anything like this,\u201d Dugan said.<\/p>\n

Thorguard\u2019s footprint is vast, with 3,500 to 4,000 customers worldwide deploying the system at 8,000 to 9,000 properties, Dugan said.<\/p>\n

The technology isn\u2019t inexpensive. A portable system starts around $9,700, while a full weather station with a warning horn costs about $24,000 installed. Larger properties can add horns for $4,500 each.<\/p>\n

Dugan believes it\u2019s money well spent.<\/p>\n

When he joined the company in the early 1990s, roughly 100 people were killed annually by lightning in the United States and more than 500 others were injured.<\/p>\n

By 2025, fewer than 20 people died from lightning strikes nationwide, including five in Florida.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is a significant drop,\u201d Dugan said. \u201cThe presence of this technology has made a huge difference. People understand the dangers and are making smarter decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n

The company was founded in 1973, two years before golfers Lee Trevino, Jerry Heard and Bobby Nichols were struck by lightning during the 1975 Western Open.<\/p>\n

Dugan said Trevino was \u201clevitated and pulled.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Hall of Famer later joked about the incident by raising a 1-iron whenever storms approached and proclaiming, \u201cNot even God can hit a 1-iron.\u201d<\/p>\n

Years later, Dugan asked him to stop.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said, \u2018Mr. Trevino, would you please stop that? There are kids who would do that,’\u201d Dugan recalled. \u201cHe never did it again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dugan has made it his life\u2019s work to educate people about lightning and save lives.<\/p>\n

Following the death of his wife, Susan, three years ago, he felt called to tell his story.<\/p>\n

He wrote \u201cAll I Am,\u201d a memoir about his life in golf, his career at Thor Guard and his marriage to his longtime golfing partner. The audiobook is narrated by Morgan Freeman.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most important people in your life are your friends,\u201d Dugan said. \u201cDo not lose contact with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The book also helped him process his grief and redefine his purpose.<\/p>\n

For more than three decades, Dugan has tried to protect people from physical harm. Now, he hopes his experiences and faith can help people in a different way.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of saving physical lives, I\u2019m trying to save souls,\u201d he said. \u201cIf I were to die tomorrow, I\u2019ve done about as much as I can do on this earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more New UCF women\u2019s coach Gabe Lazo, who grew up in little Havana, leans on life-changing lessons<\/a><\/p>\n

Edgar Thompson can be reached at <\/i>egthompson@orlandosentinel.com<\/i>. <\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After witnessing a rare lightning strike, Bob Dugan dedicated his life to predicting storms and protecting others with Thor guard.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-golf","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\nHow a lightning strike changed Bob Dugan\u2019s life and mission to save others - Orlando Relocation Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How a lightning strike changed Bob Dugan\u2019s life and mission to save others - Orlando Relocation Report\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"After witnessing a rare lightning strike, Bob Dugan dedicated his life to predicting storms and protecting others with Thor guard.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Orlando Relocation Report\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-30T22:35:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/47d95744296542489ff5c4bd403450f8\"},\"headline\":\"How a lightning strike changed Bob Dugan\u2019s life and mission to save others\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-30T22:35:38+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020\"},\"wordCount\":1085,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/09e5b3e8ceffa0eb7933c61a9357557f.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Golf\",\"Sports\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020\",\"name\":\"How a lightning strike changed Bob Dugan\u2019s life and mission to save others - Orlando Relocation Report\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/09e5b3e8ceffa0eb7933c61a9357557f.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-30T22:35:38+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/47d95744296542489ff5c4bd403450f8\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/09e5b3e8ceffa0eb7933c61a9357557f.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/09e5b3e8ceffa0eb7933c61a9357557f.webp\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":622},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=6020#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How a lightning strike changed Bob Dugan\u2019s life and mission to save others\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Orlando Relocation Report\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/47d95744296542489ff5c4bd403450f8\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How a lightning strike changed Bob Dugan\u2019s life and mission to save others - Orlando Relocation Report","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How a lightning strike changed Bob Dugan\u2019s life and mission to save others - Orlando Relocation Report","og_description":"After witnessing a rare lightning strike, Bob Dugan dedicated his life to predicting storms and protecting others with Thor guard.","og_url":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020","og_site_name":"Orlando Relocation Report","article_published_time":"2026-06-30T22:35:38+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/#\/schema\/person\/47d95744296542489ff5c4bd403450f8"},"headline":"How a lightning strike changed Bob Dugan\u2019s life and mission to save others","datePublished":"2026-06-30T22:35:38+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020"},"wordCount":1085,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/09e5b3e8ceffa0eb7933c61a9357557f.webp","articleSection":["Golf","Sports"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020","url":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020","name":"How a lightning strike changed Bob Dugan\u2019s life and mission to save others - Orlando Relocation Report","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/09e5b3e8ceffa0eb7933c61a9357557f.webp","datePublished":"2026-06-30T22:35:38+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/#\/schema\/person\/47d95744296542489ff5c4bd403450f8"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/09e5b3e8ceffa0eb7933c61a9357557f.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/09e5b3e8ceffa0eb7933c61a9357557f.webp","width":1024,"height":622},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6020#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How a lightning strike changed Bob Dugan\u2019s life and mission to save others"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/","name":"Orlando Relocation Report","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/#\/schema\/person\/47d95744296542489ff5c4bd403450f8","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com"],"url":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6020"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6020\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}