Tragic Lightning Strike Claims Life of New Jersey Golfer

A 28-year-old man reportedly died this week after suffering injuries from a lightning strike during a golf tournament in New Jersey.

Simon John Mariani, from Franklin Lakes, was struck on July 8 while playing the 15th hole at the Ballyowen Golf Course. He passed away unexpectedly on Monday, according to an online obituary.

Witness Accounts

A fellow golfer, Bryan Delia, witnessed the lightning strike occurring about 300 yards away. He mentioned that Mariani had been involved in the tournament all day when the storm suddenly rolled in. “I started filming, and then, right in front of me, a lightning bolt hit. I quickly stopped recording and headed back to the clubhouse,” Delia said.

After the incident, Mariani’s father attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and performed CPR while waiting for emergency services to arrive. He was subsequently transported to a hospital.

Storm Warnings

According to a representative from Crystal Springs Resort, which manages the golf course, they were monitoring the rapidly developing storm and made efforts to alert golfers to seek shelter. However, Delia claimed that his group had not heard any alarms.

A spokesperson for the resort mentioned that the family had requested not to release information about the incident last week, and they continue to respect those wishes.

A Bit About Simon

At the time of his passing, Mariani was an associate at MTS Health Partner in New York City. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2019 with a degree in accounting and economics, followed by a master’s degree in finance in 2024. Outside of work, he had a passion for family, painting, photography, and baking. He also enjoyed various outdoor activities like golfing, fishing, and skiing.

Mariani is survived by his parents and two sisters.

This tragic event comes amid other recent reports of fatalities caused by lightning strikes, including the death of Olympic medalist Ordon Groendbold last Saturday and a Texas man, Spencer Ro Albo, who was also killed while playing golf.