Rare Daytime Lighting Bolt Shatters Lives Of Father And Son

Lightning flashes behind the Texas State Capitol on April 27, 2023 in Austin, Texas. BRANDON BELL/ACCUWEATHER

Bosque County, Texas is home to fewer 19,000 people and two of them got struck by lightning this week.

An hour and a half south of Dallas, Bosque County is classic Texas flat lands is where the Brazos River cuts through grazing and crop fields.

Matthew Boggs, 34-year-old man was walking his two sons home from a school stop when lightning struck. One of his sons, Grayson Boggs, who was reportedly holding the father’s hand at the time, was injured in the incident.

Bosque County deputies responded to a 911 call just after 5 p.m., local time, Monday. 

Emergency responders pronounced Matthew Boggs, dead at the scene. His 6-year-old son, Grayson Boggs, was found unresponsive but still breathing, according to a news release from Bosque County Sheriff’s Office.

After multiple CPR attempts, Grayson was transported to a nearby hospital, where he remained as of Tuesday night.

Lightning storm over residential neighborhood at night. Matthew Boggs, a 34-year-old man walking his sons from a bus stop died after being struck by lightning. KEVIN J. SALISBURY/ACCUWEATHER

Just feet away from the incident was Grayson’s brother, 11-year-old Elijah Boggs. Elijah told KWTX that the whole encounter was scary.

“I was really scared. I rolled Grayson over, and he was kind of smiling a little bit. I thought they were just joking, but when I rolled my dad over, the middle of his head was bleeding and his face was already purple,” Elijah told KWTX.

According to a GoFundMe Page set-up by a family friend, the next 72 hours will be crucial for Grayson as doctors watch his heart, lungs and kidneys for any damage.

“I always took care of him because he was the one that God gave to me,” Matthew’s mother, and grandmother to the two children, Angela Boggs, told KWTX. “Now my responsibility is to take care of my grand babies.”

According to the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth, Texas, scattered thunderstorms were moving through the region between 4 and 6 p.m. on Monday evening. No severe thunderstorm warnings were issued with the storm that passed through on Monday evening. COURTESY/ACCUWEATHER

This is the third lightning death in the United States this year and the first in Texas. The first lightning fatality occurred on April 15 in Chester, Pennsylvania, which is located just south of Philadelphia. A day later, another lightning death occurred in Brevard County, Florida.

Based on the past 10 years, the U.S. averages two lighting fatalities through May 16, according to data from the National Lightning Safety Council.

“Texas ranks second in the nation, behind Florida, in terms of lightning fatalities with 19 in the past 10 years,” Lightning Safety Specialist for the council John Jensenius said in a press release. “However, the last known lightning fatality in Texas occurred almost 3 years ago on July 2, 2020, when a 16-year-old boy was struck outside his home.”

Produced in association with AccuWeather

Edited by Alberto Arellano and Joseph Hammond