MARGATE, Fla. — A Florida family was preparing to head inside for a Sunday gathering when an approaching storm suddenly turned a family dinner into an unimaginable tragedy.
Kameron Glasgow, his 31-year-old wife Kenya, and their 2-year-old twin daughters were at his aunt’s home in Margate, about 50 minutes north of Miami, when lightning struck the lawn.
The family had been getting ready to go inside around 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday as rain began intensifying. Glasgow said the family realized they needed to get the girls indoors before the storm arrived.
“We saw that the rain was picking up and we just said, ‘Hey, we got to get the girls inside,'” Glasgow said.
But before Kenya and her daughter Kennedi could make it inside, lightning struck.
Father Felt the Lightning Through the Ground
Glasgow said he was also affected by the strike and could feel the electrical current move through the ground.
“By the grace of God, I’m still here,” Glasgow said.
But his wife and young daughter were critically injured. Margate Police said in a press release that first responders immediately began performing CPR on Kenya and Kennedi after arriving at the home.
Both were transported to a hospital, but despite the efforts of first responders, Kenya and Kennedi died shortly after arriving.
For Glasgow, the moments that followed were impossible to comprehend.
“Worst feeling in the world, and to turn around and see your wife and your daughter there lifeless is even worse,” he recalled.
The tragedy has left the Florida father facing the devastating loss of both his wife and one of his young daughters at the same time.
Family Remembers Kenya and Kennedi
Glasgow described Kenya as more than his wife. She was his high school sweetheart and, in his words, someone who always put other people before herself.
“The biggest heart in the world, puts everybody before herself, everybody. My daughter, my wife, amazing, amazing people,” Glasgow said.
He also spoke lovingly about Kennedi, remembering her personality and her love of music.
The 2-year-old was a fan of musician Benson Boone and could sing his songs word for word, according to her father.
Those memories are now part of what Glasgow is holding onto as he tries to process a loss that happened in only moments.
The family had gathered for what was supposed to be a routine Sunday dinner. Instead, Glasgow is now left grieving two people who were central to his life.
Lightning Deaths Are Rare but Can Be Deadly
Lightning strikes the ground millions of times across the United States each year, but being struck by lightning remains extremely uncommon.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the odds of being struck are less than one in a million. The agency also says nearly 90% of lightning strike victims survive, making fatalities considerably rarer.
Even so, the Margate tragedy is a reminder of how quickly dangerous weather can become life-threatening, particularly when people are outdoors as thunderstorms approach.
Father Promises to Carry Their Story Forward
Glasgow now faces the difficult task of rebuilding his life while caring for his surviving 2-year-old daughter, Kensli.
In a Facebook post Monday, he reflected on the losses and the lessons he had learned after his own father died several years ago.
“I just lost my best friend. My daughter just lost her best friend,” Glasgow wrote. “After I lost my father a few years ago I learned a very valuable lesson and that’s to never question God.”
Despite his grief, Glasgow said he intends to keep Kenya and Kennedi’s memory alive.
Addressing his wife and daughter, he wrote: “We will make you both our story and take it one day at time because I know you both are guiding us.”
For a family that gathered for a Sunday meal expecting an ordinary afternoon together, the day ended with an unimaginable loss.
What would you say to a father facing such an unimaginable loss? Share your thoughts and condolences in the comments.
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