Related Videos:

Sylacauga, Alabama – On the quiet afternoon of November 30, 1954, an Alabama woman experienced what is arguably the most improbable cosmic event in human history. Resting on her couch, Ann Hodges became the only person in recorded history known to have been struck directly by a meteorite and lived.

The extraordinary incident occurred around 2:00 p.m. While Hodges was resting in her living room, a space rock, which had journeyed through the cosmos for millions of years, suddenly entered Earth’s atmosphere. At a blazing speed, the 4.5-kilogram (about 10-pound) meteorite slammed into her home.

Cosmic Collision in the Living Room

The impact was dramatic and destructive. The meteorite crashed through the roof of the house, tore through the ceiling, and deflected off a wooden radio console before hitting Ann Hodges. The space rock struck her on her side and hip, leaving a massive, severe bruise, but fortunately causing no life-threatening injuries.

The event turned the Hodges’ humble home into an instant historical site and an unparalleled testament to the unpredictable nature of the universe. In a rare convergence of space and everyday life, an object from beyond Earth had literally fallen onto a person.

The Battle for the Space Rock

In the aftermath, the event sparked a brief but intense legal and scientific battle for ownership of the meteorite. Ann and her husband, Eugene Hodges, initially wanted to keep the rock, but the U.S. Air Force and other scientific authorities were eager to study the rare celestial object.

Eventually, the space rock—now known as the Sylacauga meteorite or the Hodges meteorite—was sold to a museum. It remains an invaluable piece of scientific history.

The rare event not only secured Ann Hodges’ place in history but serves as a humbling reminder of the fragility of human life and the awesome, random power of the cosmos.