Lightning strike kills Colorado man, Jake Rosencranz while standing in ankle deep water while on ‘delayed’ honeymoon with newly married wife, Leah, in Florida.
Define tragedy? A newly married Colorado man has died after being struck by a freak lightning bolt at a Florida beach while on his honeymoon last week.
Jake A. Rosencranz, 29, was hit by lightning in New Smyrna Beach while standing in ankle-deep water around 12:30 p.m. Friday, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.
Newly married couple had arrived to beach amid blue skies
First responders performed CPR on him and he was taken to a hospital in critical condition, where he died Saturday, Volusia County Beach Safety Director Tammy Malphurs told WKMG-TV.
On a delayed trip to celebrate their marriage, Rosencrantz and his wife Leah set out to enjoy a day at the beach. Locals said that the sky on June 20 was clear and sunny, despite bad weather further inland.
Volusia County Beach Safety said the newly married man was hit by a ‘blue sky lightning strike,’ which can occur during seemingly clear weather. Despite the conditions, officials said lightning strikes can happen as far as 20 miles from the edge of a storm.
‘So sorry for the tragic loss of a young man here on a delayed honeymoon with his wife,’ Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said. ‘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.’
Earlier he posted on Facebook: ‘They were visiting our beaches to celebrate their marriage. In one terrifying second everything changed.’
What are the odds of dying from lightning strike?
The tragedy was Florida’s first lightning fatality of the year.
Officials advise when lightning is nearby to seek shelter. If there are no buildings, get into a vehicle with a hard metal top and close the windows.
According to the National Safety Council, the chance of dying from lightning strike in the US is 1 in 138,849. Similarly the chance from a dog attack is 1 in 86,781, while the chance of dying from hot surfaces and substances is 1 in 63,113.
