Touchdown Jesus Destroyed By Lightning in Ohio

The “King of Kings” statue had stood six-stories tall since 2004 at the evangelical Solid Rock Church along Interstate 75 just north of Cincinnati. For more than five years, it offered passers-by one of the most recognizable signals in the world, and it wasn’t the sign of the cross.

On Monday night, “Touchdown Jesus” — as the locals called it because of its similarities to that of a football ref signaling “touchdown” — stood no more, as it was struck by lightning in a thunderstorm before burning to the ground.

Standing 62-feet high and 40-feet wide at the base, it was made of plastic foam and fiberglass over a steel frame. By Tuesday morning, all that stood was the steel frame.