LIGHTNING
A Mid-South man died after being struck by lightning during weekend storms, according to Fayette County Sheriff's Department.

The sheriff said Darrell Hoskins was on his lawn mower when a lightning bolt struck a nearby tree, arched, and hit him.

Hoskins family said he died instantly.

Darrell's young daughter was the one who found her father's body.

His cause of death is statistically unlikely, but one everyone needs to be aware of.

"He had just a little bit of grass left, and it started sprinkling," said cousin Stephanie Skelton.

Darrell Hoskins
Darrell Hoskins
Saturday afternoon, Darrell was nearly finished cutting the lawn for his mother Glenda Steward, who lives next door.

"He had his earbuds in listening to music on his phone, so he probably didn't hear the thunder," Glenda said.

You can see the damage from where lightning first hit a nearby tree, and bark sprawled across the lawn.

The father of two was found deceased just inches away.

"So it just bounced off and got him in the back of the head," said brother Ken Hoskins. "I mean he didn't even know it was coming."

The family said his youngest daughter and his niece found his body and tried to use his cellphone to call 911, but the lightning strike likely broke his phone.

"She ran three houses over until she found someone home and called 911," Stephanie said.

Darrell's family said the day he died, it wasn't storming. A quick pop-up storm took Darrell's life in a matter of seconds.

"I told him not to get too hot here," Glenda said. "I never thought that lightning was like it was, like it was so bad, but so bad that lighting was going to strike."

The family is raising money through GoFundMe to help pay for a funeral and support his daughter.