⚡ A SUDDEN LIGHTNING STRIKE LEAVES UTAH FAMILY FACING AN UNIMAGINABLE GOODBYE 💔

FORT DE SOTO, FLORIDA — What began as an ordinary Saturday evening outing turned into a heartbreaking tragedy for a Utah family after authorities say a husband and father of four was struck by lightning while riding a Jet Ski.

Steve Matheson was near Florida’s Fort De Soto on August 29 when the sudden lightning strike occurred. The incident happened so unexpectedly that his wife, Abbie, and their four children never had the chance to say goodbye.

💔 For those who knew Steve, the loss is difficult to comprehend.

Friends describe him as a devoted husband, a loving father and a man whose faith was an important part of his life. More than anything, they say, Steve was proud of his children and rarely missed an opportunity to talk about them.

One friend recalled a recent conversation with Steve that centered on his son’s progress as a baseball pitcher. Steve was excited about how well his son was doing and even offered advice that might help him become an even better player.

Another friend, Aaron, had spent the previous week with Steve while attending a convention in Orlando. They shared meals, including a night out for crab, and spent hours talking about life, faith and family.

Aaron could never have known that those conversations would become some of his final memories of Steve.

“He loved God, he cherished his family and wouldn’t stop talking about them,” Aaron wrote.

Now, instead of looking ahead to more family memories, Abbie and their four children are facing the painful reality of bringing Steve home to Utah and making funeral arrangements.

⚡ The suddenness of the tragedy has left friends and loved ones struggling to understand how someone could be there one moment and gone the next.

As news of Steve’s pᴀssing spreads, people are being encouraged to surround the Matheson family with prayers, compᴀssion and support.

🙏 One message from Aaron has resonated deeply with those mourning Steve:

“Life is incredibly short, and none of us are promised tomorrow. Please hug your kiddos and your spouse.”

Those words carry a painful weight for Steve’s family tonight.

Four children who once expected more ordinary evenings with their dad are now facing a future without him. And a wife who expected many more years beside her husband is instead preparing to say goodbye.

💔 Steve’s story is a heartbreaking reminder that tomorrow is never guaranteed.

So tonight, hold your loved ones a little closer. Put down the phone. Hug your children. Hug your spouse. Tell them you love them.

Because sometimes, the moments we think will happen again are the very moments we should treasure most. 🫂❤️🙏