What was meant to be a joyful honeymoon turned into an unthinkable tragedy for a newlywed couple after a 29-year-old man from Colorado was fatally struck by lightning while standing in shallow ocean water in Florida.
Jake Rosencranz, a recent groom and Colorado native, was enjoying his honeymoon with his wife at New Smyrna Beach on Friday, June 20, when he was hit by a sudden bolt of lightning.
The strike occurred just before 12:30 p.m. local time as Rosencranz stood in ankle-deep water, according to reports from WESH and The Daytona Beach News-Journal, citing Volusia County Beach Safety officials.
Eyewitnesses described a horrific and surreal scene. “It was pretty terrifying,” said Patrick Eichstaedt, who witnessed the incident and spoke with WSVN. “One moment, everything was calm. The next, it was chaos.”
The force of the lightning knocked Rosencranz unconscious on the spot. A nearby nurse sprang into action and immediately began administering CPR. A lifeguard stationed over 300 feet away was quickly alerted and joined the effort as emergency responders rushed to the scene.
Rosencranz was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition, unresponsive and severely injured from the strike. Despite hours of medical intervention and lifesaving attempts, he succumbed to his injuries the following morning, local outlets reported.
In a somber message posted to Facebook, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood extended heartfelt condolences to the grieving widow.
“So sorry for the tragic loss of a young man here on a delayed honeymoon with his wife,” Chitwood wrote. “At 29 years old, he should have had many more anniversaries with her for years to come.”
The sheriff also praised the swift and tireless efforts of the first responders and medical teams who fought to save Rosencranz’s life.
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