WARESBORO, Ga. – Two teens were killed in Ware County, Georgia, on Thursday night after they were struck by lightning.
The National Weather Service reported the teens were in Waresboro in an open field near a vehicle during a severe thunderstorm around 9:05 p.m.
According to Waycross Mayor, Dr. Michael-Angelo James, the teens, identified as Joey Nelson, 18, and Randall Martin III, 19, were fishing.
The Ware County Sheriff’s Office responded to Lejuene Road near Old Circle Road, where family members found the two unresponsive around 10:16 p.m.
First responders performed life-saving measures, but they died on the scene.
“My sincere sympathies and prayers are with the families of both of these young men,” Sheriff Carl James said. “Death is always painful for families, but it is all the more tragic when people so young pass away. No parent should have to bury their child.”
James also extended his condolences to the families and offered support for the teens’ memorial services.
James said Nelson and Martin were former football players at Ware County High School. Nelson was a class of 2024 graduate, and Martin graduated in 2025.
“[They] were both standout athletes and cherished members of the Ware County Gators football team. Their dedication to the sport, unwavering team spirit, and infectious energy left a lasting impression on teammates, coaches and the broader Waycross community,” James said, remembering the two teens in a statement from the mayor’s office.
Waresboro is northwest of Waycross.
The NWS in Jacksonville says there have been over 500 documented lightning fatalities in the United States since 2006.
