On Monday, May 15, 2023, the unthinkable happened. A father and son were walking home from the school bus drop-off location like any other day when lightning struck the pair.
Matthew Boggs was walking home with his sons Grayson and Elijah in Valley Mills, Texas. He was holding hands with 6-year-old Grayson. After being struck by lightning, both were unresponsive. Matthew was pronounced dead at the scene, and Grayson was rushed to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
A GoFundMe page was created for the family by Stephanie Burris, a cousin. She explained the tragic situation further. She is having problems accepting the bizarre truth of this sad story.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be here to tell the story of a little boy and his dad being struck by lightning, but here I am,” she begins. “At approximately 5:10, Monday evening, May 15,2023, Matthew, Grayson, and Elijah were walking down the driveway after getting off the bus, when lightning came out of the sky without warning, and entered Matthew's body and traveled to Grayson, since they were holding hands.”
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Stephanie goes on to give an update on Grayson, who she says is “fighting for his life at the Children's Hospital in Temple, Texas.” Grayson is making steps toward recovery, but there was damage to his brain. Time will tell how extensive the damage is and how this will impact his future ability to care for himself. Beyond monetary help, the family requests prayers at this difficult time.
Angela Boggs, Matthew’s mother, spoke to CBS affiliate KWTX about this tragic situation, shedding light on Matthew’s final moments.
“He just got done telling Grayson — he said, ‘I love you buddy.’ That’s when the lightning came down,” she said. “I always took care of [Matthew] because he was the one that God gave to me. Now my responsibility is to take care of my grandbabies.”
Grayson’s brother, 11-year-old Elijah, witnessed the whole thing.
“I was really scared. I rolled Grayson over and he was kind of smiling a little bit,” he recalled. “I thought they were just joking, but when I rolled my dad over the middle of his head was bleeding and his face was already purple.”
Matthew is remembered as “a faithful member of the Bosque County Cowboy Church in Meridian.” He enjoyed “watching wrestling and being with family.” He took “great joy in music and enjoyed singing any chance he got.” His friends and family believe he is “now singing with the angels.”
Funeral services for Matthew were held in Texas on Saturday, May 20, 2023. An additional service will be held in Indianapolis on May 27. The latest update on Grayson was some promising eye moments that appeared to be intentional. The family is waiting on an ophthalmologist to confirm.
