Family reflects on lightning strike that killed father, injured son

VALLEY MILLS, Texas (KWTX/Gray News) - A family in Texas is filled with emotions after lightning struck a father and his son as they walked home.

Matthew Boggs, 34, was killed in the incident. His son, Grayson, 6, was injured and is in the hospital fighting for his life.

His family now hopes he pulls through.

Elijah Boggs, 11, was just feet away from his father and little brother when they were struck as they were walked home from the school bus stop.

“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,” said Boggs.

After multiple CPR attempts, Grayson was rushed to the hospital.

Matthew Boggs’ mother, Angela Boggs, is shaken now that her only son is gone.

“I always took care of him because he was the one that God gave to me. Now my responsibility is to take care of my grandbabies,” said Angela Boggs.

She said the two were holding hands in their final moment together.

“He just got done telling Grayson, he said, ‘I love you, buddy.’ That’s when the lightning came down,” said Angela Boggs.

The family reported Grayson is still unresponsive.

They said doctors told them Grayson is fine from the neck down, but it will take 72 hours to see if there’s brain damage.

In the meantime, Angela Boggs recounts Grayson’s personality, saying Grayson is a burst of energy.

“He’s a rambunctious little boy. He is always, always on the move playing,” she said.

The Boggs family has faith that Grayson’s strength will help him pull through and recover.

“God’s got it. I believe that, that’s my faith. God has him in his healing arms right now,” said Angela Boggs.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family.

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