Ottawa jazz singer struck by lightning in her home

Award winning jazz singer Kellylee Evans is recovering after being struck by lightning 10 days ago.

The Ottawa singer was in her kitchen cleaning up when a bolt when through her body.

It was early evening on June 10th.   A massive storm was brewing outside Kellylee Evans' home in Ashton, west of Ottawa.

“My son, he’s six, he was scared,” recalls Kellylee, “and I’m like, oh, don’t worry about it.”

Kellylee was cleaning the kitchen counter, wet sponge in hand, barefoot on her concrete floor.

“I got to the metal part when the lightning hit and I don't know what it hit or whether it hit the plumbing. All I know is that I felt this “zap.”

Evans is a world renowned jazz singer, a Juno award winner who just returned from performing in Paris. The lightning jolt has affected her mobility, temporarily she hopes. But she feels lucky to be alive, to be able to still perform.

“It’s good to know that this (her throat) is still working even if this (her legs) are not,” she laughs.

There's a saying among meteorologists:  when it roars get indoors.  We are safest inside our homes during a lightning storm but as Kellylee found out, not entirely.

What many of us don't realize is that lightning can travel inside a house too:  through your corded phone, through appliances, even through plumbing.

Peter Kimbell is a meteorologist with Environment Canada. “Very likely what happened is the lightning struck when she touched sink.  It came into the house and she was in contact with electricity at that time.”

Kimbell says during a lightning storm; avoid appliances, the shower, your corded telephone and your computer.

“As much as possible, avoid appliances, turn off the computer, don't wash your hands in the bathroom sink or do dishes in the sink, that kind of thing.”

The Ottawa singer is opening for Willie nelson at Friday’s Jazz Fest and isn't going to let a little lightning strike interfere with that.

“Willie Nelson is pretty old right? says Evans. “There's probably stuff on his body that's not working, he's not cancelling his gig right.”

Kellylee Evans jokes that she's waiting to see what her superpowers are after being struck by lightning. Anyone who's heard her sing would say she's already got superpowers.