A selfless Utah dad was killed after being struck by lightning whereas serving to stranded boaters off the coast of Florida, his household stated.
Steve Matheson, 47, was jet snowboarding along with his pal off the coast of Fort de Soto simply earlier than 6:35 p.m. Saturday after they noticed a damaged down boat, ABC affiliate KTVX reported.
They had been making their method to the shoreline as a result of a storm was brewing however the dad of 4 stopped to assist the boaters after realizing they had been in problem.
However the tempest continued to advance to a degree the place it was nearly on high of Matheson, his cousin Marianne Matheson Shuman advised the outlet.
“The lightning took him fairly rapidly,” she stated.
“Even in his final moments he was serving to and serving strangers,” she added, paying tribute to her late relative.
“He would have it no different method.”
Matheson died of his accidents after being rushed to a neighborhood hospital.
He leaves behind his spouse, Abbie, and their 4 youngsters. Tributes have been paid to the “devoted husband and loving father,” who was additionally a diehard Brigham Younger College Cougars soccer fan.
“His household was his biggest pleasure, and he cherished each second he was capable of spend with them,” his good friend, April Beck, stated.
“He was the sort of husband and father who cherished deeply, confirmed up absolutely, and made his household the middle of his world.
“Steve additionally had a robust and unwavering religion in his Heavenly Father and his Savior, Jesus Christ.
“As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, his religion was an vital a part of who he was and the way he lived his life. His love for his household and his religion had been evident in the way in which he handled others and the life he selected to stay.”
Matheson was somebody who wouldn’t hesitate to assist these in want.
His good friend, Mitch Faas, recalled how Matheson was the primary particular person to reply when he wanted assist transferring fireworks forward of the Pioneer Day vacation – a celebration marking the arrival of Brigham Younger and the primary group of Mormon pioneers that settled within the Salt Lake Valley area.
“He confirmed up along with his oldest son and jumped proper in, similar to he had for our exhibits during the last a number of years,” Faas stated.
Faas revealed the final textual content he despatched to Matheson was, “Thanks for all the time being somebody I can rely on bud.”
“All the time brotha,” Matheson replied. “We admire you and are all the time prepared to assist.”
Aaron Boone, one other one among Matheson’s friends left devastated by the tragedy, stated the pair had been alleged to play flag soccer collectively earlier than recalling a heartwarming reminiscence of the selfless dad.
“We shared a love for competitors and soccer, however extra importantly, a robust religion, a love for our households, and a tender spot for youths,” he wrote Monday.
“One factor I’ll all the time bear in mind about Steve says quite a bit concerning the sort of man he was.
“His dad used to come back watch him play flag soccer on a regular basis. After his dad handed away a few years in the past, Steve sort of took my father beneath his wing on the video games, virtually as if he had been his personal dad.
“He all the time made a degree to take a seat with him, be certain that he was comfy, discuss with him, and go to earlier than, throughout, and after the video games.”
Matheson’s dying marks the thirteenth lightning strike fatality within the US this yr, in response to the Lightning Security Council.
His dying got here six days after Kennedi Glasgow, 2, and her 31-year-old mother, Kenya Glasgow, had been killed in a freak lightning strike in Margate, Fla, in entrance of their household.
