A brilliant fireball was moving across the sky at a very high rate of speed from the west. It glowed, even on that sunny day and left a silvery trail across the sky that was visible to people in at least three states. Somewhere in the vicinity of Sylacauga, it exploded into several fragments, sounding much like thunder.

Ann was soundly sleeping when suddenly the house shook, causing her mother to come running into the room wondering if the house were collapsing. Ann awoke immediately and the two started to run outside when Ann felt a pain in her left hip. Something had hit her with force! In no time, there was a bruise on her hip and her hand.

The neighbors had seen what had happened. Whatever it was came down from the sky and went through the roof of the Hodges residence. Shortly, neighbors and police officers converged on the home to offer assistance if needed.

The object turned out to be an eight-and-a-half-pound meteorite. It went through the roof of the Hodges home, bounced off a large console radio and across the room where it struck Mrs. Hodges.

By the time Mr. Hodges came home from work, a huge crowd had gathered around the Hodges home, so big in fact that Mr. Hodges had to drive through his neighbors’ yards to reach his own home. When he tried to enter his house, a total stranger told him to go to the back of the line and wait his turn. Mr. Hodges promptly threw the spectator off his porch!

The U.S. Air Force sent a helicopter from Warner-Robbins Air Force Base in Georgia to get the meteorite. This action prompted legal action by the Hodges to get the fragment back. A legal action was also started by the Hodges’ landlady, Birdie Guy, who claimed that since it was her property that was damaged, she should be the one to get the meteorite.

Among the large crowd that day were reporters and the story was getting national attention. In a short time, the shy Ann Hodges became a celebrity, as the only person known to have been struck by a meteorite! She was very uncomfortable with all the attention.

In time the courts ruled in favor of the landlady, who finally sold the fragment to the Hodges. But, by this time, interest in the story had diminished to the point that Ann Hodges finally gave the meteorite to the Alabama Museum of Natural History at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Ann Hodges passed away in 1972. At the time of her death, Mr. Hodges still had the radio that was hit by the meteorite.

The house in which the Hodges were living at the time is no longer standing.