A cherished father of four who died after being struck by lightning had reportedly paused to help a boater in distress moments before the fatal incident, his family said.
Steve Matheson, 41, was hit by lightning at about 6.35pm on Saturday while riding a jet ski with a friend near Fort De Soto Park, a group of five islands located at the mouth of Tampa Bay.
Matheson was taken to a hospital, but doctors were unable to save him. The Utah resident had been in Florida for a work conference, his cousin, Marianne Shuman, told ABC News.
According to Shuman, Matheson had chosen to extend his Florida trip by one day so he could spend time on the water with his friend.
She said the pair had looked at the weather forecast before setting out, and conditions appeared safe enough at the time that “they felt OK about going out.”
But the weather quickly shifted, and when they saw a storm approaching, the two began returning to shore, Shuman said.
On their way, they spotted a boater in need of assistance, so they stopped to provide help. Matheson was struck by lightning shortly after.
‘Steve was really good about helping people, strangers included… And him and his buddy stopped to help,’ Shuman told ABC. ‘That’s the kind of guy Steve was.’
Steve Matheson, 41, was struck by lightning while jetskiing off the coast of Florida on Saturday. His family said he had just stopped to help a boater
Matheson was married and a father of four. He is pictured with his wife, Abbie, at their marriage
Matheson’s children are aged nine, seven, four and three. He had three sons and a daughter
The cousin told the outlet that Matheson’s children were aged nine, seven, four and three. Photos from his social media show that he had three sons and a daughter.
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A GoFundMe organized to help Matheson’s family pay for funeral expenses and the cost of transporting his body back to Utah described him as ‘a wonderful man, devoted husband, and loving father.’
‘He absolutely adored his wife, Abbie, and his four children. His family was his greatest joy, and he cherished every moment he was able to spend with them,’ the fundraising page added.
The GoFundMe also states that Matheson was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon religion, and that ‘his faith was an important part of who he was and how he lived his life.’
The fundraiser remarkably garnered nearly $85,000 as of Tuesday night.
Following the news of Matheson’s death, an outpouring of tributes from friends and loved ones was posted on social media.
One of the father of four’s friends, Mitch Fass, wrote on Facebook that he has ‘met very few people who made you feel the way Steve did.’
‘He went out of his way to make people feel seen, heard, and genuinely valued. And if you needed help, Steve showed up. He was dependable, generous with his time, and simply someone you knew you could count on,’ Faas added.
A GoFundMe for Matheson’s family said: ‘His family was his greatest joy, and he cherished every moment he was able to spend with them’
An outpouring of heartfelt tributes to Matheson was posted by friends and family on social media in the days after he died
Matheson’s stepfather, Steve Goldstein, wrote on Facebook that he and Matheson’s mom, Jennifer, had traveled to Utah to be with their son’s family.
‘Steve was a shining example to all. He was well loved by everyone he ever met and will be deeply missed,’ Goldstein said.
Matheson’s brother, Michael, said: ‘There are no words to say or express the shock and sadness that has befallen my family… He is no longer with us, but has gone to meet our Dad who is already waiting for him in heaven.’