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Tragic detail after newlywed died in freak honeymoon tragedy after stepping into shallow water
A dream honeymoon ended in heartbreak when a newlywed from Colorado was fatally struck by lightning while on a Florida beach.
Jake Rosencranz, 29, had traveled with his new wife, Leah, to New Smyrna Beach for their honeymoon.
At around 12.30PM on June 20, 2025, he was wading in the shallow surf when a lightning bolt struck him, despite the storm being miles away from the coastline.
Volusia County Beach Safety Director Tammy Malphurs confirmed the devastating incident, telling WTVG that Rosencranz was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries the following day, June 21.
"On Friday, June 20, a 29-year-old man from Colorado was struck by lightning shortly before 12:30PM while standing in ankle-deep water in New Smyrna Beach," Malphurs told Daily Mail.
"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," they added.
Authorities described the event as “an extremely rare occurrence,” noting that the weather had appeared deceptively calm.
“It was clear blue sky, and the storm was like miles away from us,” a witness told WESH, cited by The New York Post.
Tragically, this was also the first lightning-related death on Volusia's beaches in several years according to Malphurs, who also noted that lifeguards had not yet begun clearing the beach since no lightning had been detected in the area.
FOX 35 Storm Tracker Radar recorded 170 lightning strikes in the area as the inland storm moved closer to the coast.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the odds of being struck by lightning in the U.S. are less than one in a million, and around 90 percent of those struck survive, making Jake’s death all the more devastating.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood expressed condolences in a heartfelt message posted on Facebook: “So sorry for the tragic loss of a young man here on a delayed honeymoon with his wife. At 29 years old, he should have had many more anniversaries with her for years to come.
"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," he added.
The tragedy marked Florida’s first lightning-related death of 2025, in a state that averages about 1.2 million lightning strikes annually, the Florida Department of Health reported.
Nationwide, this was at least the fourth lightning fatality of the year, following previous deaths in North Carolina, Mississippi, and Texas, as reported by the National Weather Service.
Two additional people were “indirectly struck” by lightning that same day while playing golf at the Venetian Bay Golf Course in New Smyrna Beach. City officials confirmed that neither required hospitalization.