Authorities have released a harrowing audio recording of a 911 call, where a witness describes the moment 19-year-old Ethan Lawrence was struck and killed by lightning. The tragic incident occurred on Sunday, June 30, in Davie, Florida, just six months after Lawrence welcomed his first child, daughter Emara, with his girlfriend, Andrea.
Lawrence, a resident of Broward County, was fatally struck at approximately 10:24 a.m. local time at Vista View Park, the Davie Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE. In the recently released 911 call, a woman can be heard telling the operator, “I believe someone just got struck by lightning up on the hill. I saw a lightning strike and somebody just fell down.”
She added, “I was leaving and a big thing of lightning came, and I have not seen the person get up,” noting her uncertainty due to her position on the hill. She continued, “I was driving at the bottom of the hill to exit the park and a huge thing of lightning came. I saw a guy walking up on the hill and then all of a sudden he was like down. It looked like the lightning was right on him.”
The Davie Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE that after receiving the 911 call and arriving at the scene, “they discovered an adult male deceased in the park.” Lawrence’s mother, Lourdes, told WSVN that she had sent her husband, Patrick, to search for their son after noticing his phone’s location hadn’t changed for hours. Patrick recounted, “Then the detectives came over to my car and told me, ‘I don’t know if there is any easy way to say this at all, so I’m just going to tell you that unfortunately, your son was running, he was struck by lightning and he didn’t make it.'”
The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office is assisting with the ongoing investigation. Lawrence was a former student at Jacksonville University on a cross-country scholarship but had recently transferred to Nova Southeastern University to be closer to his girlfriend and their baby, according to WTVJ.
Andrea, Lawrence’s girlfriend, expressed her disbelief to WSVN, saying, “I am still in shock. I am still trying to process it because of how it happened. In a matter of seconds, he texted me in the morning, ‘Good morning love, I woke up late today.'” On Monday, July 8, Ethan’s mother shared a heartfelt tribute on Facebook, expressing gratitude to the “village” that raised him.
“Ethan was not just my son; he was my best friend, my confidant, my shining star, my pride, and my source of endless joy. From a young age, Ethan showed an incredible depth of empathy and understanding for all. Ethan’s kindness extended far beyond our family. He was always there for his friends, offering a listening ear and a comforting word. His teachers often spoke of his willingness to help others and his ability to bring a smile to anyone’s face.”
Reflecting on her loss, Lourdes told WSVN, “He was my pride and joy and I cannot believe that I’m going to continue this life without him.” The Lawrence family has created a GoFundMe page to “keep Ethan’s memory alive by supporting this scholarship fund.” As of publication, it has raised over $10,000 of its $50,000 goal.