DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) – A South Florida family is devastated by the loss of their teenage son, who was killed in a lightning strike while jogging in a park.
Davie Fire Rescue confirmed Monday that Ethan Lawrence was killed by a lightning strike Sunday morning.
Ethan’s mother is devastated after losing her son at Vista View Park in Davie.
“He was my pride and joy and I can’t believe I have to continue this life without him,” said Lourdes Lawrence, Ethan’s mother.
Ethan was 19 years old.
“We don’t understand why, but the only thing that gives me consolation is that he died doing what he loved,” Lourdes said. “Cross country runner, track runner, volleyball player, was called up to Jacksonville University and made great progress there.”
The family said life had thrown them a difficult task months before his unexpected death and that Ethan handled it lovingly and with class, Lourdes said.
“He found out his girlfriend was pregnant. She gave birth on December 11 and his career path changed a little bit,” she said.
Ethan decided to become a father of a daughter and transferred to Nova Southeastern University, where he received a Dean’s Scholarship. He wanted to do cross country and trained for that.
“I’m still in shock and still trying to process all of this because of how it happened. Within seconds, he texted me that morning: ‘Good morning honey, I woke up late today,'” said Andrea Lares, Ethan’s girlfriend.
“He was at Vista View, it was drizzling, and he said to me, ‘Hey mommy, I’m going for a run.’ ‘Okay baby, I love you, take care,'” Lourdes said.
After several hours, Lourdes tracked down Ethan, and when his location did not change, she sent her husband Patrick to the park to look for him.
“And then the detectives came to my car and told me, ‘I don’t know if there’s an easy way to say this, so I’ll just tell you that unfortunately your son was on the run, got struck by lightning and didn’t make it,'” said Patrick Lawrence, Ethan’s father.
His mother said her body was physically shaken at the time it was struck by lightning.
“About that time, I was upstairs and I felt a very sharp pain in my chest,” Lourdes said. “And I was like, ‘Am I having a heart attack? What’s going on?’ And then I said to myself, ‘He’s gone. Why, my son? Why?'”
The Lawrence family went to the park on Monday hoping to find answers to some of their questions. Lourdes said she felt like her son was guiding her.
“We went to the accident site and Ethan led me to where he had been hit. I saw the hole in the ground and looked down. My husband said, ‘Look at his cross,'” she said. “He’s telling me, ‘Mom, I’m OK, I’m OK, you’re OK.'”
The family knows his life will never be the same, but they will honor him forever. Now his name lives on in the works of his daughter Emara.
“Now he has left us a piece of his DNA to pass on. He doted on her (Emara),” said Lourdes. “I am so grateful and happy that I had 19 wonderful years with my son.”
Lourdes said her son was such a good son, an amazing human being and just a good soul. She will now spend the rest of her life making sure everyone knows that.
Florida is the lightning capital of the USA. On average, 40 people are injured and 10 people are killed by lightning strikes each year.
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