A man has sadly died during what was supposed to be the happiest time of his life. He was struck by lightning on his honeymoon in Florida. Sadly, he passed away from his injuries.
Witnesses described the aftermath of the lightning strike
"I saw lightning strike, like on the beach," said witness Pepper Pyle.
"It was the most crackling electrical hit you could imagine. I mean, like fierce," said witness George Kirk.
"It was pretty terrifying," said witness Patrick Eichstaedt.
Lightning Struck Newlywed
A nurse started CPR on the man while waiting on emergency responders to come.
"That guy was, what I could tell, was in the water, and somebody tried to drag him out, and then they got help," Eichstaedt said. "Next thing you know, the lifeguard's here and paramedics and everybody. He was pretty far away, but I knew it was bad, 'cause they started chest compressions immediately."
Volusia County Beach Safety Deputy Chief A.J. Miller also spoke out about the incident.
"Bystanders rushed to his aid, pulled him up to the water's edge, There was someone on scene that initiated CPR while the lifeguard nearby, who was over 300 feet away, was notified," said Miller. "The National Weather Service states that strikes can happen up to 20 miles outside. I mean, that's very far outside the leading edge of a storm."
Sadly, he died from the lightning strike.
In a Facebook post, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood mourned the loss of the victim.
"So sorry for the tragic loss of a young man here on a delayed honeymoon with his wife," he wrote. "At 29 years old, he should have had many more anniversaries with her for years to come. Sending sincere condolences to this young woman on behalf of all of us in Volusia County who were hoping against hope that the diligent efforts of our lifeguards, EMS team and ER staff would bring him back to her."
