A Colorado teen died after being struck by lightning while hiking a peak – with his heartbroken family revealing he spent his final moments trying to protect his younger brother.
Levi Strobel, 15, was with four other hikers navigating the summit of Mount Blue Sky – a height of around 14,000 feet – when he was struck by lightning just after 1:20 p.m. Sunday, Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office said.
Strobel, from Erie, had lifesaving measures performed on him, but tragically he couldn’t be saved; while his younger brother Jace, 13, was flown to a Denver hospital after being critically injured.
Levi Strobel died on Sunday after being struck by lightning while navigating the summit of Mount Blue Sky. Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office
The Strobel family, including Levi, are seen in a portrait. GoFundMe
Strobel, from Erie, had lifesaving measures performed on him, but tragically he couldn’t be saved; while his younger brother Jace, 13, was flown to a Denver hospital after being critically injured. KMGH-TV
Two adult men suffered minor injuries, but they were not hospitalized, police say.
Strobel’s family have been left heartbroken by the tragedy, but paid tribute to the boy’s bravery.
“In his final moments, Levi showed the courage and selflessness that characterized his life, seeking to protect his younger brother, who was with him on the mountain,” they said.
“He was a brave and loving brother, and we will always remember the devotion he showed to those he loved.
Strobel’s family have been left heartbroken by the tragedy, but paid tribute to the boy’s bravery. GoFundMe
“Although our grief is profound, we hold firmly to the hope Levi shared with our family: faith in Jesus Christ, who is able to save and who promises eternal life to those who trust in Him. That hope is sustaining us now.”
Jace Strobel “improved throughout the night” after being “critically injured,” a family friend revealed in a GoFundMe page.
“The family remains hopeful as he continues on the road to recovery,” they said.
Jace Strobel “improved throughout the night” after being “critically injured,” a family friend revealed in a GoFundMe page. GoFundMe
“The family remains hopeful as he continues on the road to recovery,” the family friend said, referring to Jace.
Strobel was the sixth person to be killed by lightning in the US this year, the National Lightning Safety Council revealed.
Seven lightning strike fatalities have been reported this year.
Between 2006 and 2024, 25 lightning-related fatalities were reported in Colorado — the third-highest total in the US, according to the database.
There were around 19 lightning reports in the Mount Blue Sky area when the teen was struck, Fox Weather reported. Sailingstone Travel – stock.adobe.com
Only Florida and Texas reported more fatalities, with 94 and 41, respectively.
There were around 19 lightning reports in the Mount Blue Sky area when the teen was struck, Fox Weather reported.
Americans caught in thunderstorms should get off high ground and never shelter under isolated trees, safety experts say.
But the odds of being struck by lightning in any year are less than one in a million and around 90% of lightning strike victims survive, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
