Fractured trunk reveals a blackened heart

 Years ago a lightning strike burned out the core of this shade tree,
but did not kill it. 

After a valiant recovery from a lightning strike over five years ago, yesterday the fulsome ash south of our house succumbed to high winds. Gales were said to reach up to 65 mph.

The trunk shattered, revealing a five-foot long coal-black gash burned deep through its heart, a battle scar left by its previous lightning bolt encounter.
We thought we had lost the smoking, reeling victim for sure that day back then, but after pruning and reshaping, it gradually recovered from its shock, healing neatly over the long split riven deep into its trunk, and completely re-closing its burned-out core.
But yesterday's blasts proved too much for the now heavily-endowed shade tree, as the old veteran bowed gracefully to the winds, then broke.