A newly married man has lost his life under extraordinarily rare and heartbreaking circumstances.
Twenty-nine-year-old Jake Rosencranz was enjoying his honeymoon in Florida alongside his bride Leah when they decided to visit the beach – a popular activity for tourists exploring the Sunshine State’s coastal attractions.
The couple made their way to New Smyrna Beach on Friday (June 20), during what witnesses described as bright and pleasant conditions, though severe weather was developing in the state’s interior regions, according to MailOnline.
Jake, originally from Colorado, was wading through shallow water barely covering his ankles when the inland thunderstorm system began advancing toward the shoreline at approximately 12:30pm that afternoon.
As the tempest arrived, FOX 35 Storm Tracker Radar documented an extraordinary 170 lightning bolts striking the area, with one fatally hitting Jake. Statistical data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that lightning strike odds in America fall below one in a million.
Although roughly 90 percent of lightning strike victims survive their injuries, Jake tragically succumbed to his wounds the next day (June 21).
Tamra Malphurs, who serves as Director of Volusia County Beach Safety, informed MailOnline that emergency responders immediately began CPR following the lightning strike.
“On Friday June 20 A 29-year-old man from Colorado was struck by lightning shortly before 12:30 PM while standing in ankle-deep water in New Smyrna Beach,” she shared. “CPR was immediately initiated, and we performed life-saving measures. He was transported from the scene unresponsive, and he sadly lost his life from the injuries he sustained.”
Memorial messages have poured in honoring Jake following his premature death, with Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood among those paying tribute.
“So sorry for the tragic loss of a young man here on a delayed honeymoon with his wife,” he wrote on Facebook. “At 29 years old, he should have had many more anniversaries with her for years to come.”
Chitwood’s tribute continued: “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.”
Family and friends have established a GoFundMe campaign to support Jake’s survivors, which has generated more than $23,000 in donations at the time of publication.
The New Smyrna Beach Fire Department reported that two additional individuals suffered lightning strikes on the same date as Jake’s incident.
These victims were playing golf at the Venetian Bay course when they were struck. Both individuals avoided hospitalization following their injuries, according to PEOPLE magazine.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].