Steve Matheson, a 47-year-old father of four, died after being struck by lightning while riding a jet ski off the coast of Fort De Soto Park, in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. The incident occurred around 6:30 PM on Saturday. According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, he was rescued and taken to a hospital, but did not survive his injuries.
Meteorologist Robert Molleda, from the National Weather Service, warned about the dangers of the first lightning strikes of a storm. In an interview with USA Today, he explained that summer storms develop very rapidly and that the first thunder may come too late for people to realize the danger, as it is not always possible to notice the storm approaching.
Steve Matheson's family created a campaign on the GoFundMe website to help his wife, Abbie, and their four children. The fundraiser aims to financially support the family and cover the body repatriation costs.
