Man Killed by Lightning Strike on Jet Ski Off Fort DeSoto Identified as Father of 4
- On Saturday, Aug 29, 2026, Utah resident Steve Matheson died after lightning struck him while riding a jet ski near Fort De Soto Park in Florida.
- The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office responded to the incident at approximately 6:30 p.m. following reports of the strike; Matheson was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
- A GoFundMe campaign established for Matheson, who left behind wife Abbie and four young children, has raised more than $30,000 toward a $45,000 goal to return his body to Utah.
- According to the National Lightning Safety Council, this marks the fifth lightning-related fatality in Florida this year and the third death in the state in less than a week.
- Florida leads the nation in lightning deaths, with 100 fatalities reported from 2006 through 2025, underscoring persistent environmental hazards for residents and visitors in the region.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Saratoga Springs man killed by lightning while on jet ski in Florida
SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah, Sept. 1, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — A Saratoga Springs father of four was struck by lightning and killed Saturday while on a jet ski off Florida’s gulf coast. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called at about 6:35 p.m., and responded to the area where they found Steve Matheson had […] The post Saratoga Springs man killed by lightning while on jet ski in Florida first appeared on Gephardt Daily.
A father of four died after being struck by lightning while riding a jet ski on the coast of Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg, Florida, in the United States. Steve Matheson, 47 years old, was hit around 6:30 p.m. Saturday (29). According to the Office of the Sheriff of Pinellas County, he was taken to a hospital but did not resist. Mother dies after returning home in flame to save four-year-old daughter in the US 16-year-old dies after fallin…
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