Man on honeymoon dies after being struck by lightning on Florida beach
The death of Jake Rosencranz, 29, in New Smyrna Beach was considered unusual because it is 'rare' for someone to be struck by lightning from a storm that is several miles away, local beach safety director Tammy Malphurs told Florida news outlet WKMG. Though that occasionally happens, Rosencranz, of Colorado, was the first person to be killed by lightning in Florida in 2025.
His death nonetheless served as a grim reminder that Florida in 2024 led the US in both lightning fatalities (12) and strikes per square mile (76), according to a report from the environmental technology provider AEM.
Related: Florida dad dies after helping save his daughter from drowning on Father's Day
Rosencranz had been in New Smyrna Beach with his wife, Leah, on a delayed honeymoon, local sheriff Mike Chitwood said on a social media post. While standing in ankle-deep water under clear skies, lightning struck him at about 12.30pm on 20 June, Malphurs's agency reportedly said.
'There was not a storm immediately over us,' Malphurs told a Denver Post reporter. 'This lightning bolt came from a storm several miles away.'
Emergency responders performed CPR on him and took him to a hospital in critical condition. He died there on 21 June, authorities said.
On social media, Chitwood wrote 'in one terrifying second everything changed' for Rosencranz and his wife. 'They were visiting our beaches to celebrate their marriage,' Chitwood added. He also wrote that Rosencranz 'should have had many … anniversaries with her for years to come'.
'Sending sincere condolences to this young woman on behalf of all of us … who were hoping against hope that the diligent efforts of [first responders and hospital doctors] would bring him back to her,' Chitwood said.
Rosencranz – who was originally from Boston – graduated from the University of Denver in 2019, according to his LinkedIn page as well as an online biography. He then worked for a Denver construction company before working as a project manager for the Behm Consulting Group in the same city.
His biography at the Behm Consulting Group's website said he enjoyed skiing, golf and exploring the Rocky mountains with his wife and their dog, Bonnie. The biography listed his favorite quote as: 'When's the best time complete a task? Yesterday.'
'Not sure who said this, but my wife reminds me often,' Rosencranz's biographical page said.
In a statement on Tuesday, Behm Consulting Group's president, Nick Behm, said: 'Jake Rosencranz was a great friend and beloved colleague.'
'We are heartbroken over this terrible loss,' Behm's statement said. 'We are sending love and support to his wife, Leah, and his family. He will be missed.'
As of Wednesday morning, supporters of Rosencranz's family had donated more than $25,000 to a GoFundMe campaign dedicated to helping Leah as she grapples with having suddenly lost her husband.
The National Weather Service generally considers it highly unlikely for most people to be struck by lightning. People who live for about 80 years have one-in-15,300 odds of enduring such an experience.
But 20 June in New Smyrna Beach evidently was another matter altogether. Rosencranz was among three people to be hit by lighting there after noon that day.
The other two were golfers who were indirectly struck by lightning at the Venetian Bay course, the local fire department said to WKMG.
Neither golfer struck needed to be hospitalized, the agency said to the outlet.
In a post published after Rosencranz's death, meteorologist Matt Devitt of Florida's WINK news station said hearing thunder is a sign that one is 'close enough to potentially get struck' by lightning.
That is the case even if lightning is not visible.
'When thunder roars, go indoors,' Devitt's post said, invoking an oft-used meteorological safety adage.
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