Tx. Dad Dies, 6-Year-Old Son 'Fighting for His Life' After Being Struck by Lightning While Holding Hands

Abigail Adams

19 May 2023 at 5:31 pm·3-min read

Matthew Boggs was walking down his driveway with his son Grayson "when lightning came out of the sky without warning," according to a family member

A father died and his young son was seriously injured after they were struck by lightning while walking home from a bus stop in Texas this week.

Matthew Boggs, 34, of Valley Mills, was walking down his driveway with his two sons, Grayson and Elijah, on Monday evening "when lightning came out of the sky without warning," according to a GoFundMe campaign started by a family member.

Grayson, 6, was holding his father's hand when the lightning bolt struck, according to the fundraising page as well as an obituary for Matthew.

Angela Boggs, Matthew's mother, told CBS affiliate KWTX that in their final moment together, Matthew told his son, "I love you, buddy."

"He just got done telling Grayson," she said. "That's when the lightning came down."

The two victims "were not responsive" by the time first responders arrived at the scene, according to a statement from Sheriff Trace Hendricks that was shared on the Bosque County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

The 6-year-old boy, who was found "unresponsive, but breathing" was transported to a local hospital, while his father was pronounced dead at the scene.

Grayson is now "fighting for his life" at the Baylor Scott & White McLane Children's Medical Center in Temple, according to the GoFundMe and KWTX.

The child had multiple seizures after the incident and was placed on a ventilator to help him breathe, according to the organizer of the fundraising page, Stephanie Burris, a cousin. An MRI conducted on Thursday revealed damage to Grayson's frontal lobe and optic nerve.

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"The doctor was asked today if Grayson would wake up, and her answer was, 'I don't know.' She said we have to wait until we can reduce the sedating medications he is on, to see if he will wake up," the family member wrote in Thursday's update.

"At this time there are a lot of unknowns with how Grayson will recover," the organizer wrote. "But the family is keeping their faith that God is working to heal our sweet boy."

Matthew was remembered as a "faithful member of the Bosque County Cowboy Church" who "loved watching wrestling and being with his family," according to his obituary.

"Matthew found great joy in music and enjoyed singing any chance he got but we can rest assured that Matthew is now singing with the angels," the obituary continued.

A funeral will be held Saturday at Bosque County Cowboy Church. Another service will be held in Indianapolis, where he was originally from, at a later time.

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