Man tells son ‘I love you, buddy’ moments before he was struck by lightning; boy in critical condition

Lightning claimed the life of a dad and injured one of his two sons in Texas, USA, as the former was walking them home from the bus stop.

According to multiple reports, Matthew Boggs, 34, had just picked up his kids Grayson, 6, and Elijah, 11, by the bus stop, as he usually would, when the unfortunate accident happened.

“Matthew and Grayson took one side [of the driveway] and Elijah went on the other side and Matthew had just reached down and grabbed Grayson’s hand and said, 'I love you, buddy,' when the lightning hit,” said his cousin Stephanie Burris.

Elijah and the kids’ grandmother Angel Boggs, who was mowing the lawn, witnessed the two fall to the pavement and immediately came to their rescue.

Recounting the incident, Elijah told KWTX that he “was really scared” with what he had just seen.

“I was really scared. I rolled Grayson over, and he was kind of smiling a little bit. 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,” he said.

Matthew was pronounced dead, while Grayson is "struggling for his life" as he had suffered several injuries including a “severe brain injury.”

Stephanie has set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for Grayson’s hospital bills.

“The doctors have told us that because he was hit by lightning, their main concerns are his heart, lungs, and kidney damage. The next 72 hours are crucial. Please if you are not in a place to donate, please, please, please share! Thank you for your prayers, kindness, and generosity,” she wrote.

Matthew will be buried in his hometown in Indiana at a later time.