A Utah father of four was struck and killed by lightning while jet-skiing off Florida after stopping with a friend to help a distressed boater, his family has said.
Steve Matheson, 41, was hit at about 6.35pm on Saturday, 29 August, near Fort De Soto Park, a group of islands at the mouth of Tampa Bay. Deputies from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office responded after reports of the incident and Matheson was taken to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Matheson, from Saratoga Springs, Utah, had been in Florida for a work conference. He had decided to remain in the state for an extra day to spend time with his childhood friend, David Cole, before the pair went out on the water.
His cousin, Marianne Shuman, said the men had checked the weather radar before setting off and believed it was safe to go out. But conditions changed quickly and, after seeing a storm approaching, they began making their way back towards shore.
As they travelled near Egmont Key and Shell Key, they saw a boater in difficulty and stopped to offer assistance, according to accounts from the family and Cole. Matheson was struck shortly afterwards.
Cole later told Fox 13 that he saw a bolt hit the water and Matheson, who was riding about 15 to 20 yards ahead of him. He said Matheson remained upright on the jet ski for several seconds before falling face-first into the water, after which Cole stayed with him and flagged down a passing boat for help.
“Steve was really good about helping people, strangers included,” Shuman told ABC News. “And him and his buddy stopped to help. That’s the kind of guy Steve was.”
Tributes paid to father killed by lightning in Florida
Matheson leaves behind his wife, Abbie, and four children aged nine, seven, four and three. Relatives and friends have described him as a devoted husband and hands-on father whose family was at the centre of his life.
A fundraising page set up to help pay for funeral expenses and the cost of returning his body to Utah described Matheson as “a wonderful man, devoted husband, and loving father”. It said: “His family was his greatest joy, and he cherished every moment he was able to spend with them.”
The page said Matheson was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that his faith played an important role in his life. By Tuesday night, it had raised nearly $85,000.
Friends and relatives have shared tributes online since his death. Mitch Fass wrote that he had “met very few people who made you feel the way Steve did” and said Matheson went out of his way to make others feel “seen, heard, and genuinely valued”.
Matheson’s stepfather, Steve Goldstein, said he and Matheson’s mother, Jennifer, had travelled to Utah to be with the family.
“Steve was a shining example to all. He was well loved by everyone he ever met and will be deeply missed,” he wrote.
Matheson’s brother, Michael, said the family was struggling to absorb the loss. “There are no words to say or express the shock and sadness that has befallen my family,” he said.
