What started as a normal morning on a Missouri farm quickly turned into a heartbreaking day. A farmer and his wife discovered all 32 of their dairy cows had been killed in a freak incident that left their entire herd gone in an instant.
Life has a way of reminding us just how delicate it really is. In a world that’s full of uncertainty, it sometimes takes only a moment for everything to change.
Anyone who has experienced personal loss knows how quickly the unexpected can hit, and just how deeply it can affect your life.
That’s exactly what happened to Jared Blackwelder, a dairy farmer from Springfield, Missouri, and his wife Misty.
They had gone about their usual Saturday morning routine, feeding their herd as they always did — completely unaware that something rare and devastating was about to unfold.
This heartbreaking event happened back in 2017, but the unusual and shocking nature of the story still captures attention today.
According to local reports, Jared and Misty had gone out that morning to take care of their cows. The recent flooding in their area had already passed, so they felt safe letting the cows roam freely in the pasture.
Dark clouds were starting to roll in again, and distant thunder could be heard, but the couple left their 32 dairy cows grazing, planning to bring them in later that evening.
They had no idea that when they came back just hours later, their farm would never look the same again.
Credit / Shutterstock
Tragically, all 32 of their cows had been struck by lightning. The entire herd was found dead in a heap — a sight Jared and Misty never could have prepared for.
At the time, the Wright County Missouri Farm Bureau shared photos of the aftermath on social media and asked the community to keep the Blackwelders in their thoughts and prayers.
“It’s a common occurrence. It does happen,” MFB President Stan Cody told CBS News. “The thing that made this the worst was just the sheer number of cows that were affected.”
Credit / Facebook – Wright County Missouri Farm Bureau
A veterinarian came out to examine the animals and confirmed that lightning was the cause of death.
He noted that he had never seen lightning take out more than six cows at once. However, in this case, the herd may have instinctively huddled together to protect themselves from the worsening storm, which made them more vulnerable to a single strike.
Jared, heartbroken by what had happened, said: “It’s not like they are pets. But the ones I’m milking, I’ve raised every one of them.”
“Dairy cattle are a little different because you mess with them twice a day. It knocks you hard.”
Credit / Facebook – Wright County Missouri Farm Bureau
Along with the emotional loss, the financial impact was also devastating. Each cow was valued between $2,000 and $2,500, meaning the Blackwelders lost over $60,000 in total.