A South Carolina man succumbed to his injuries after he and his wife were struck by lightning while vacationing in Florida.
The couple, Brent and Kristen Jerome, were both struck by a bolt of lightning on Saturday at a beach near Fort Myers. Their two children, ages 2 and 5, were close enough to witness the strike but were unharmed, the Fort Myers News-Press reported.
Bystanders attempted to perform CPR on Brent Jerome before first responders arrived at the scene. The couple was then taken to a nearby hospital.
Brent Jerome died on Wednesday, according to a blog post from Downtown Church in Columbia, South Carolina.
INVASIVE, WORMLIKE AMPHIBIANS FOUND IN FLORIDA
#BREAKING a father struck by lightning on Sanibel beach Saturday has died. Brent Jerome’s wife was also struck & is recovering. Their two kids were there but are not hurt. The family’s church says 5 of Brent’s organs will be donated to ppl in need. @NBC2 (📸: @wis10) pic.twitter.com/1bQG7521V6
— Kyla Galer (@kylagaler) July 30, 2021
“Words fail to capture the grief, sadness, anger, and shock that his family, his friends, and this church are feeling after such a freak accident,” the blog post said. Brent Jerome was a high school social studies teacher and a youth leader for the church.
Kristen Jerome, who also helps with the Downtown Church youth team, is still recovering in the hospital. The church noted that she is “incredibly grateful for the warmth and care she has received from friends and strangers.”
The Columbia Fireflies, a Minor League Baseball team in Columbia, posted a video and statement honoring the family on Friday, noting that they had been season ticket holders since the Fireflies came to the city five years ago.
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The team is auctioning a jersey signed by Tim Tebow, who played with the team in 2017 after leaving the NFL, with plans to give all of the funds to the family when the auction closes on Aug. 9.
During this difficult time for their family, we would like to support them by auctioning off a jersey signed by Tim Tebow. One hundred percent of the money will be given to the family at the close of the auction.
The auction can be found online here: https://t.co/iFD5wiRL4a pic.twitter.com/uOuNbVcJSN
— Columbia Fireflies (@ColaFireflies) July 30, 2021
