Thunder and lightning can scare young children, but most storms pass without doing much damage. However, when there is a lightning storm, it is always best to take precautions. These precautions include going inside if you are outside, staying low to the ground and staying away from water.

According to the CDC, “If you are out in the open water and a storm rolls in, return to shore immediately.” Unfortunately, sometimes there isn’t time to return to shore before a tragedy occurs.

William Friend was the husband of “One Tree Hill” actress, Bevin Prince. He was out on a boat off the shore of North Carolina when his boat got struck by lightning. He did not survive. He was 33 years old.

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On July 3rd, around 3:15pm, Friend was on a boat near Masonboro Island when the boat was struck by lightning. The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office’s Marine Unit arrived at the scene and took Friend to Bradley Creek Marina where the EMS put him in an ambulance and spent 20 minutes trying to resuscitate him. He was pronounced dead and transported to the hospital.

According to John Jensenius with the National Lightning Safety Council, a boat is never safe during a lightning storm. He explained, “Some people think that there’s some protection just based on a little bit of metal, but really there isn’t when you consider that lightning gets into the metal systems of your boat and you’re very close to those. So. really. very little protection, especially if you’re an open boat.”

Watch the video below to learn more about Friend and the reaction to his unexpected death by Prince’s friends and former co-stars.

Prince often shared loving photos of her husband on Instagram, but she has yet to speak out about the tragedy.

Did you know that it was dangerous to be on a boat during a lightning storm?

[Image credit: Deposit Photos]