Newlywed Killed by Lightning on a Clear Day (4 photos)

Last month, Jake and Leah Rosenkrantz, a newlywed couple from the United States, went to New Smerna Beach, a coastal town in Florida, for their honeymoon. The 29-year-old newlywed was standing ankle-deep in water when he was struck by lightning. The sky above the beach was clear - no one could have predicted the tragedy.





"There was no storm directly above us," said Tammy Malphurs, who is responsible for local beach safety. Rosencrantz's death was attributed to a rare weather phenomenon known as a "lightning storm."

"The storm was at least a few miles away," Malphurs added.

Two golfers playing nearby were also struck by lightning minutes before Jake. They did not require hospitalization.



Bystanders pulled the man from the water, who had gone into cardiac arrest. Medics tried to revive him, but he died at a local hospital the next day.





What causes thunderstorms out of the blue? Electrical discharges can extend from thunderclouds over considerable distances.

Witnesses described the event to local outlet WSVN News. According to them, the lightning struck unexpectedly, as if out of nowhere.

"I saw the lightning strike near the beach," witness Pepper Pyle said. "Then I heard people screaming, 'Help! Somebody's hurt.'"

Patrick Eichstedt was surfing at the time. "It was scary. I saw the guy being pulled out of the water, trying to help. The lifeguards, paramedics, and everyone else showed up," he added.



The family wrote: "Jake lived an easy and joyful life, and that was appreciated by those around him. He was doing what he loved: traveling, exploring the world, and being with the woman he adored. This is an irreparable loss."