Bea Anhuci

Lightning is an essential part of nature—balancing Earth’s electrical charge by transferring negative energy back to the ground. But it can also be fatal.

The age-old maxim says lightning never strikes the same place twice. Florida would beg to disagree.The state is the lightning capital of the United States as measured in deaths by lightning, with four fatalities in 2025.

“We couldn’t take it anymore, the constant fear that one of us could be disappeared by ICE,” Silva said in an interview translated from Portuguese. “We wanted to stay in Florida where we’ve built our life, but my kids deserve a place where they feel safe and welcome.”