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Man Killed by Lightning at Florida Surfing Hotspot

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 8:15 AM ET

It’s typically the wildlife that people say to watch out for whilst in Florida. The gators, the sharks, the snakes, the zombies high on bath salts, et cetera. But one extremely unlucky man was hit by something else while wading in the waters of New Smyrna Beach, and tragically, he passed away.

A 29-year-old man was in Florida celebrating his honeymoon on June 20th. He was standing in ankle-deep water at the Florida surfing epicenter of New Smyrna Beach, when a storm passed overhead, and he was struck by lightning. Paramedics arrived on the scene shortly after. Sadly, however, he could not be revived. According to authorities, he was "transported from the scene unresponsive."

Sheriff of Volusia County, Mike Chitwood, posted this tribute on Facebook:

“Saying a prayer for this young man and his wife. They were visiting our beaches to celebrate their marriage. In one terrifying second everything changed. My heart goes out to them tonight. I also want to thank everyone who worked so quickly to render aid and get him to the hospital for a fighting chance.”

The incident happened just before 12:30pm; it was Florida’s first lightning-related fatality of the year.

Additionally, that same day and not very far away, two others were also struck by lightning. Two golfers were indirectly hit by bolts of lightning while playing a round at Venetian Bay Golf Course. That incident happened around the same time that the man was killed on the beach. The two victims were evaluated by medical personnel, and neither required emergency transport to the hospital.

Typically, sharks are the most dangerous threat in New Smyrna Beach. It’s often dubbed the “shark bite capitol of the world,” with countless nips occurring, and many scenes from above showing surfers sharing the waters with swarms of toothy critters.

But for this poor man, he encountered a different fate. Thoughts and prayers to his family.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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