Steve Matheson, a 47-year-old father of four from Saratoga Springs, Utah, has died after being struck by lightning while riding a jet ski off the Florida coast. The incident occurred in the water near Fort De Soto Park in Petersburg at around 6.30pm on Saturday.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Matheson was rushed to hospital after the shock but later died despite the best efforts of medical staff.
Meteorologist Warns of Quick Summer Storms
Speaking to USA Today, National Weather Service meteorologist Robert Molleda said: "It's usually the first lightning strikes that tend to be the most dangerous because people may not be aware what's coming even if the sky is starting to look dark and threatening."
"The storms in the summer develop very quickly. That first rumble of thunder might be too late," he added.
Fundraiser Set Up for Family
A GoFundMe account has been set up for the Matheson family as they navigate the shock loss. Organiser April Beck said funds will support his wife and children and help repatriate his body back to Utah for a funeral surrounded by friends and loved ones.
The fundraiser describes him as "a wonderful man, devoted husband, and loving father." It reads: "His family was his greatest joy, and he cherished every moment he was able to spend with them. He was the kind of husband and father who loved deeply, showed up fully, and made his family the centre of his world."
Friends, family, and strangers have raised over £47,858 in two days, with many expressing condolences. One commented: "We'll miss you Steve, you'll always be our football brother." Another wrote: "We love you so much, Steve & Abbie. I hope to have the strength to live like you. I miss you and will do all we can to help your family." A third added: "Praying for your family during this unimaginable loss."
Lightning Deaths in the US
Matheson's death is the 13th lightning death in the US this year and the third deadly strike in Florida in less than a week. Mum Kenya Glasgow, 31, and her two-year-old daughter were struck by lightning in Margate city on August 23. Her husband recounted sitting in the car with their other daughter when he saw his wife struck by a flash of bright light.
"I got the actual aftershock from the ground. By the grace of God, I'm still here as well," he said, adding it was "the worst feeling in the world." Later that day, a child was rushed to A&E after being struck by lightning near Boynton Beach.
According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida is known as the 'lightning capital' of the US, recording over 2,000 lightning-related injuries in the past half a century. Although about 37 million bolts of lightning hit the ground in the US each year, the odds of being struck are less than one in a million. Victim data shows only 10 percent of such incidents are fatal, despite a typical lightning strike carrying about 300 million volts of electricity.
As per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, studies have found that the top three activities that lead to lightning-related deaths are boating, fishing, and camping. As lightning is more likely to strike the tallest objects on a horizon, activities such as jet-skiing or boating can lead to a higher chance of lightning strike.
