Ottawa was reminded of the wrath of nature on Sunday when a lightning bolt ripped through a tent east of Ottawa, killing a young father as he slept with his family.
Ryan Snutch, 26, died in a Hawkesbury hospital after the strike hit his tent, staked at Whispering Pines Campground near Plantagenet.
Inside with him was his girlfriend RoseAnn Garde and their son, 18-month-old Julian.
"With the tall trees around it, I'm amazed it hit the tent," said campground owner Rolf Garde, who is also RoseAnn's father.
Rolf said after the strike, a friend came running into his nearby house carrying Julian after someone else called 911.
"My daughter was burned. Her back was burned and her companion was out," Garde said. "The ambulance got to him, CPR and shocks couldn't revive him."
What Garde called a "freak accident" is reminding others to be safe in stormy weather.
Lightning strike kill around ten people and injure 100 every year in Canada, mostly happening during activities like camping, hiking or golfing.
"If you're having a good round, I don't always come in, I might keep playing," said golfer Peter Stepa. "Once I see bolts coming, that's when I head for shelter or head home."
"You don't want to be in the open, but they tell you to stay away from trees," said Chris Blackburn. "So your best bet is to stay off the golf course when thunderstorms are in the area."
Friends of Snutch are taking to Facebook to grieve and share memories, with Snutch's words on his own page a testament to his feelings for his son.
"I love my little guy," he wrote. "He's so awesome."
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Joanne Schnurr
