Steve Matheson, a 41-year-old father of four, died Saturday after being struck by lightning while jet-skiing near Fort De Soto in Florida. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office confirmed the incident, which occurred around 6:35 p.m. Matheson, originally from Saratoga Springs, Utah, was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Matheson was in Florida for a work conference and decided to stay an extra day to go jet-skiing with a friend. According to his cousin, Marianne Matheson Shuman, they had checked the weather radar and felt it was safe to go out on the water. However, as a storm began to move in, they started heading back to shore.
During their return, the pair spotted a boater who appeared to need assistance. "Steve was really good about helping people, strangers included. ... And him and his buddy stopped to help," Shuman told ABC News. "That's the kind of guy Steve was." Matheson was struck by lightning shortly after they assisted the boater.
Matheson is survived by his wife and four young children, ages 9, 7, 4, and 3. Shuman described him as a devoted and hands-on father, noting, "He loved big. His family was his No. 1 and he was a very hands-on dad." He will be deeply missed by his family and those who knew him.