According to a family member, Matthew Boggs and his son Grayson were walking down the driveway “when lightning came out of the sky without warning.”
In Texas this week, a father was killed and his young son suffered life-threatening injuries when they were struck by lightning while returning from a bus stop.
According to a GoFundMe account set up by a relative, Valley Mills resident Matthew Boggs, 34, was walking down the driveway with his two boys, Grayson and Elijah, Monday night “when lightning came out of the sky without warning.”
According to Matthew’s obituary and fundraising website, Grayson, 6, was holding his father’s hand when the lightning struck.
Matthew’s mother, Angela Boggs, told CBS station KWTX that in their last exchange, he told his son, “I love you, dude.”
She replied, “He just said that to Grayson.” Lightning “fell” at that time.
According to a statement from Sheriff Trace Hendricks posted on the Bosque County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, first responders found the two victims “unresponsive” at the scene.
While his father was pronounced dead at the scene, the 6-year-old, who was found to be “unresponsive but breathing,” was sent to a nearby hospital.
Grayson is currently “fighting for his life” at Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center in Temple, according to KWTX and GoFundMe.
According to Stephanie Burris, the cousin who organized the fundraising campaign, the boy suffered multiple seizures after the event and was put on a ventilator to help him breathe. Grayson’s frontal lobe and optic nerve were damaged, according to an MRI performed Thursday.
“When asked today if Grayson would wake up, the doctor said, “I don’t know. A family member noted, “She said we have to wait until we can reduce the sedative medication she’s on to see if she wakes up.”
The organizer said it was unclear how Grayson would recover at this time. However, the family continues to trust in God’s ability to heal our precious son.
Matthew was considered a “faithful member of the Bosque County Cowboy Church” who “loved watching the games and being with his family,” according to his obituary.
The obituary said: “Matthew found great joy in music and loved to sing whenever he had the chance, but we can rest easy knowing that Matthew is now singing with the angels.”
A funeral will be held Saturday at the Bosque County Cowboy Church. He was originally from Indianapolis and another ceremony will be held there later.