Frantic 9-1-1 calls follow lightning strike that killed two
Frantic calls were made to 911 when a mother and her 2- year-old daughter were struck by lightning in Margate Florida on Aug. 23.
A father visiting Florida died after being struck by lightning, according to officials.
On Saturday, Aug. 29, Steve Matheson, a husband and father of four, was jet skiing in the waters off St. Petersburg, Florida, about 20 miles southwest of Tampa, when he was fatally struck by lightning, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“His sudden passing has left his family, friends, and community heartbroken and trying to navigate a loss that no one could have ever imagined,” a GoFundMe created to support Matheson’s family stated.
The incident marked the third deadly lightning strike in Florida in less than a week, reported the Herald-Tribune, a part of the USA TODAY Network.
Here’s what to know.
Deadly lightning came while man was on jet ski with friend, reports say
Matheson was in Florida for a conference when the incident occurred, according to Fox 13 News, a local news outlet in Tampa. He was riding a jet ski with his friend, David Cole, when a sudden storm began, and he was struck and killed.
“I saw a huge lightning bolt come from the top and hit the water and hit him,” Cole told the news outlet.
According to Cole, Matheson remained upright after the lightning struck.
“So I was like, ‘Okay, that was a close call’ and then all of a sudden, he goes limp and falls straight into the water face first,” Cole said.
After the strike, Cole remained with Matheson and was able to ask a passing boat captain and his wife for help.
Cole and Matheson were lifelong friends and had known each other since they were 4 years old, according to Cole. He and Matheson also played football together at Brigham Young University.
“I just thought nothing would ever happen to him, but something happened to him, and I wish we would have done things different,” Cole told the news outlet. “Our intentions were pure to get to safety.”
Remembering Steve Matheson
Matheson was a husband and father to four young children, according to a GoFundMe. The GoFundMe has been set up to help Matheson’s wife and children, and to return his body to his home state of Utah.
He was also a man of faith and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His family was not with him at the time of his death.
“His love for his family and his faith were evident in the way he treated others and the life he chose to live,” the GoFundMe stated.
Third deadly lightning strike in Florida in less than a week
Matheson is the third person in less than a week to be killed by a lightning strike in Florida.
Kenya Glasgow, 31, and her 2-year-old twin daughter were fatally struck by lightning on Sunday, Aug. 23, outside a relative’s home in Margate, Florida, a city located about 38 miles north of Miami. Glasgow’s husband was feet away from his wife and daughter when they were struck. Their other 2-year-old daughter was still in their vehicle.
That same day, paramedics took a child to a trauma center after receiving a 911 call saying a person had been struck by lightning near Boynton Beach, Florida, which is about 28 miles northeast of Margate.]
Florida has most lightning fatalities in nation
Florida leads the nation in lightning deaths, according to AccuWeather. There are about 3,500 lightning flashes that reach the ground each day in the state.
While it ranks fourth in the nation for lightning flashes, with Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas beating it for the record, it has the highest number of fatalities for a number of reasons, including the following, per AccuWeather:
- Florida’s dense population
- The number of people who spend their time outdoors each year
In Florida last year, four people suffered lightning-related fatalities between June 14 and Sept 22. They died at the beach, while fishing, and on a hunting trip.
The year before, six people died in Florida after lightning strikes. All but one happened between June and mid-September as people sat under a tree in a park, swam at the beach and rode bikes through a neighborhood.
Nationwide, the top three activities that lead to lightning-related deaths from 2006 through 2025 are fishing, being at the beach and boating. Of the top 12, golf is ranked 11, just ahead of doing yard work.
While lightning is not attracted to any specific material — a persistent myth is that it seeks out metal — it is more likely to strike taller objects, making someone in a field, on a boat or beach, repairing a roof or on an open highway more exposed.
Staying safe while there’s lightning
The odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are 1 in 1.22 million, according to the National Weather Service. Despite the low odds of it happening, there are still precautions one can take to avoid being struck.
Being struck by lightning can cause someone to go into cardiac arrest, per the Centers for Disease Control. To avoid any incidents, do the following:
- If you hear thunder or see lightning, go inside
- Do not bathe, shower or wash dishes during a thunderstorm. Avoid water, as lightning can travel through the plumbing.
- Avoid using equipment such as computers, laptops, gaming systems or other appliances that are plugged into an electrical outlet.
- Do not lie or lean on concrete floors and walls during thunderstorms, as lightning can travel through metal wires or bars found in concrete walls and flooring.
- During thunderstorms, stay off of porches and keep your distance from windows and doors
If someone is struck by lightning, call 911 immediately.
Kimberly Miller with USA TODAY NETWORK contributed to this report.
Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers space phenomena, scientific studies and natural disasters. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.
Michelle Spitzer is a journalist for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. As the network’s Rapid Response reporter, she covers Florida’s breaking news. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at