Utah Man Dies in Florida Jet-Ski Lightning Strike

A Florida jet-skiing incident near Fort De Soto left Steve Matheson, a Utah man and father of four, dead after a lightning strike. Authorities say the strike occurred around 6:30 p.m. at the north end of Fort De Soto, and Matheson was transported to a hospital where he later died. The case is described as the third deadly lightning event in Florida in less than a week. Florida is highlighted as leading the nation in lightning fatalities this year, a trend noted by the National Lightning Safety Council. A GoFundMe has been started to assist Matheson’s wife and children and to repatriate his body to Utah. Community members described Matheson as a devoted husband and father.