Heartbreaking: Family and friends are sharing moving memories of Steve Matheson from Utah, who tragically lost his life after being struck by lightning while riding a personal watercraft off the coast of Florida
A Utah family is grieving the loss of their beloved husband and father after a lightning strike tragically took his life on Saturday.
Steve Matheson was riding a jet ski off the coast of Florida when the family says the sky opened up and lightning struck, taking Matheson’s life.
On Monday, his cousin and her husband sat down with ABC4.com to reflect on who Steve was and how they are coping with this unimaginable loss.
(Courtesy: Tara Wilcox Photography)
‘It was just disbelief’
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to reports of a jet skier who was struck by lightning. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. Officials identified the victim as Steve Matheson.
Marianne Matheson Shuman, Steve’s cousin, told ABC4.com that the moment they heard the news, they were in “disbelief.”
Moments before Steve Matheson was struck by lightning off the coast of Florida (Courtesy: Marianne Matheson Shuman)
“We are still in shock,” she said. “It was devastating to hear like who gets struck by lightning? I was waiting for her to say, ‘but he is okay,’ but I didn’t get that.”
Marianne said that Steve and his companion noticed that a storm was coming in while jet skiing and stopped on their way into shore to help people whose boat had broken down. By the time they got them squared away, the storm was right on top of them, and “the lightning took him pretty quickly.”
“Even in his last moments he was helping and serving strangers,” said Marianne. “He would have it no other way.”
‘He had a lot of best friends’
Matheson was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a due hard fan of Brigham Young University football. Steve was the kind of person who lit up every rom he walked into and had individual relationships with everyone in that room.
“He was not afraid to tell someone how much he loved them,” she said. “He loved big.”
James Shuman, Marianne’s husband, said that everyone who knew him called him their best friend.
(Courtesy: Marianne Matheson Shuman)
“He makes you feel as though he is your best friend,” James said. “He would do anything for anybody.”
James said that although he did not grow up with brothers, Steve was a brother to him.
“He is missed,” he said.
The family is now faced with unexpected financial strain as they must bring Steve back to Utah for funeral services.
A GoFundMe has been started to help the family during this difficult time and to hopefully provide an element of support in a time of such unexpected and devastating loss.
“As much as he loved, it is going to leave that big of a hole,” Marianne said. “His wife was his world; his kids were his world. They were his number one.”
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