What was meant to be a joyful honeymoon turned into tragedy when a rare occurrence at a Florida beach claimed the life of a 29-year-old husband from Colorado.
Jake Rosencranz, 29, died on Saturday, June 21, 2025, after being struck by lightning the previous afternoon. He was on a delayed honeymoon with his wife, Leah Curtis, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
According to Volusia County Beach Safety, the incident happened at about 12:30 p.m. on Friday near the 27th Avenue beach approach. Rosencranz was standing in ankle-deep water beside Curtis when lightning unexpectedly struck.
Emergency responders and a bystander attempted CPR at the scene. Rosencranz was then transported to Advent Health New Smyrna Beach in critical condition. Despite efforts by lifeguards, EMS personnel, and hospital staff, he died the following morning.
Tammy Malphurs, director of Volusia County Beach Safety, confirmed the strike occurred while the storm was still miles offshore. She described the event as an extremely rare occurrence.
Malphurs noted that lifeguards had not yet started clearing the beach since no lightning had been detected in the area. She also added that this was the first lightning-related death on Volusia’s beaches in several years.
“Over my years of service here, I’ve seen about six or seven people die on the beach from lightning strikes,” Malphurs stated. “Beach safety is very proactive about monitoring these storm systems,[..] no matter the weather situation. But it’s also vital to keep your eyes on the sky and watch those clouds.”
She added that although storms can roll in quickly, lightning strikes from miles away, while rare, remain a real danger. On the same day Rosencranz was hit, two others were also struck while golfing at the Venetian Bay golf course; however, unlike Rosencranz, neither required hospitalization.
Rosencranz’s death sparked an outpouring of grief from family, colleagues, and community members. His brother-in-law, David Curtis, shared on LinkedIn, “I am devastated to share this, but unfortunately, my wonderful brother-in-law Jake passed away this past weekend.”
“He was an incredible husband to my sister Leah and family member to all,” he continued. “His memory will continue to be a blessing to all who were fortunate enough to know him.” David also linked to a fundraiser launched to support his sister and help cover medical expenses and other immediate needs in the wake of Rosencranz’s death.
The GoFundMe campaign had raised over $107,000 by June 26, 2025, with a goal of $160,000. The campaign page reads, “This devastating loss impacts so many loved ones, but especially Curtis, who will be navigating life without her husband and best friend.”
Rosencranz’s employer, BCG – Behm Consulting Group, also issued a public statement. “We tragically lost Jake Rosencranz… He was loved by so many,” it read. “We couldn’t be more thankful to have had the opportunity to get to know him and work alongside him. His creativity, work ethic, and bright smile will be missed deeply.”
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood also shared condolences publicly, writing on Facebook, “So sorry for the tragic loss of a young man here on a delayed honeymoon with his wife. At 29 years old, he should have had many more anniversaries with her for years to come.”
He concluded, “Sending sincere condolences to this young woman on behalf of all of us in Volusia County who were hoping against hope that the diligent efforts of our lifeguards, EMS team and ER staff would bring him back to her.”
Born and raised in Weston, Massachusetts, Rosencranz developed a deep love for nature and skiing from an early age. He spent weekends in New Hampshire skiing at Loon Mountain, a pastime that remained a constant in his life.
He attended the Holderness School in Plymouth, New Hampshire, where he met Curtis in a sophomore chemistry class. The two remained together through the years and married in July 2023 at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area.
Rosencranz earned a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Denver in 2019, minoring in construction management, property development, and sociology. After college, he entered the commercial construction industry, steadily climbing the ranks from project engineer to director of special projects at Howell Construction.
