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A Seaside Park Police Department spokesperson confirmed to Daily Voice that 59-year-old Patrick Dispoto's cause of death was accidental and caused by a lightning strike. He was found unconscious on the beach near J Street at around 7:38 p.m. on Sunday, June 23.
Police said Dispoto had no visible signs of injuries. He was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Dispoto's girlfriend Ruth said he tried to warn a group of children on the beach about the thunderstorm after lifeguards had left, News 12 reported. She also said Dispoto made sure she was safe in his truck before he went out to the beach.
Mourners continued posting tributes to the "lovable cowboy hero" on Facebook.
"When we played he would dress up in his Sgt. Pepper's suit and dance all night long," posted Strictly 60s, a New Jersey-based cover band. "We are certainly going to miss seeing him at our shows, may he R.I.P."
"So sad," someone commented on the post by Strictly 60s. "Sending prayers to Ruth and the family. He was a very sweet man and a hero."
The New Jersey Swim Safety Alliance said Dispoto's death is a reminder that thunderstorms and beaches "do not mix."
"As soon as you think a storm is [approaching], immediately leave the beach," the NJSSA posted. "Please be sure to share this important safety message with your children and teens."
Dispoto's death happened almost three years after Keith Pinto, a 19-year-old Berkeley Township lifeguard and former Toms River High School North track runner, was killed by lightning on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. Seven other people were also struck, including four lifeguards.
News 12 also reported Seaside Park was expected to begin upgrades to lightning detection systems on Tuesday, June 25. Several Jersey Shore locations like Brick Township and Ortley Beach have similar technology installed to protect beachgoers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said New Jersey is among the top 10 states with the most lightning-related deaths. CDC data showed 15 people in New Jersey were killed by lightning between 2006 and 2021.
The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, which took over the "unattended death" investigation, hasn't released any information as of Wednesday, June 26.
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