Steve Matheson, a Bountiful father of four, died Saturday, Aug. 29, after being struck by lightning while jet skiing near Fort De Soto Park on Florida's west coast.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) said deputies responded to the north end of the park around 6:30 p.m. after receiving a report that a jet skier had been struck, WFLA in Tampa reported. First responders transported Matheson to a local hospital in what was described as a life-threatening condition. He was later pronounced dead, Fox 13 Tampa Bay reported.

Matheson left behind his wife, Abbie, and four young children.

Friends of the family created a GoFundMe page to help return his body to Utah. The page described Matheson as a devoted husband and loving father who made his family the center of his world, with a deep love for BYU football. Organizers wrote that his death has left his family, friends and community heartbroken, according to Fox 13 Utah.

Neighbors have spoken publicly about Matheson's character. Brandon Bollschweiler, a Bountiful neighbor, sent a statement about Matheson to WFLA, though the full text was not available as of Monday, Aug. 31.

Chase Thomason, a meteorologist at KUTV 2News in Salt Lake City, shared news of Matheson's death on X on Monday, Aug. 31, calling him a devoted husband and loving father.

@ChaseThomason: "A Bountiful man tragically lost his life after being struck by lightning while riding a jet ski off the coast of Florida. Steve Matheson died Saturday, August 29, 2026, in a devastating lightning strike near St. Petersburg, Florida."

Matheson's death marked the 13th lightning fatality in the United States in 2026 and the fifth in Florida, according to the National Lightning Safety Council as reported by WWSB. Florida's four earlier lightning deaths this year included an 18-year-old kayaker in Santa Rosa County on May 31, a 51-year-old man in the water off Fort Myers Beach on July 3, and a 31-year-old woman and her 2-year-old daughter struck on a sidewalk in Margate on Aug. 23.

No funeral or memorial service had been announced as of Monday, Aug. 31. The GoFundMe page remained active for those wishing to support the Matheson family.