Brit killed by lightning on Rhodes beach is filmed joking just before ‘God took him’
British paddleboarder Scott Seddon was filmed laughing and joking with a close friend as he emerged from the sea – just minutes before he was struck by lightning and died.
The keen sportsman, 26, died shortly after emerging from the water during what appeared to be clear weather over the Greek island of Rhodes.
The video shows Scott looking athletic and clearly very happy – and gives no hint that he was in any apparent danger with an earlier storm that appeared to have passed.
It was released to MailOnline by his devastated family who want it made public to show that Scott had left the sea when the incident happened and was not acting recklessly in any way.
Scott’s heartbroken mother said he had “the time of his life” before his tragic death in the freak accident Monday afternoon when, she said, “God just decided to take him away.”
A video shot shortly before Scott Seddon was struck by lightning shows him dragging his paddleboard out of the sea
The video shows Scott looking athletic and clearly very happy and with no indication that he was in any apparent danger – as an earlier storm appeared to have passed
Initial reports from Greece had suggested that Scott died while at sea during an electrical storm off Agia Agathi when his close friend Anna Vidamour, 24, begged him to come in.
But Scott’s mother and father, who were in the ambulance as paramedics tried to save his life, said an earlier storm appeared to have passed and sunlight was breaking through the clouds.
They pointed out that the video shows there was no indication of an imminent lightning strike when he returned to the beach on Monday afternoon.
His family insists veteran lodger Scott knew the dangers of the sea or weather in Greece, where they lived for many years before returning to Liverpool.
His father Stephen, 68, said: ‘We have lived in Greece for the past 30 years.
‘He knows the water and respects the water. He wasn’t some silly tourist who steps on a sign to go somewhere dangerous.
He laughed as he came out of the water. They put the canoes on the bank and they stood on the stands and they hugged.
“He was in no danger and was not dragged out of the water.”
Scott’s mother described him as a “beautiful” and “flamboyant” man who loved the sea. “He would catch octopus and give it to the locals,” she said
Anna Vidamour (pictured), reportedly a regular visitor to the Greek island with Scott, was devastated by the events, it is said
Scott, who lived in a large bungalow in Liverpool with his sister Layla and father Steve, was described by close friends as a ‘lovely guy’ and ‘very popular’.
The avid sportsman, trained as a civil engineer and working in construction, spoke Greek and was a regular visitor to the family’s holiday home.
“He wasn’t a tourist and he knew and respected the water,” his father said.
“The locals loved him and he went to school there.
‘We are devastated. We’ll never get over him.’
24-year-old Anna from Belfast, who was close to Scott but was not dating him – he was due to travel again soon to visit his girlfriend – had made the video just five minutes before he was beaten.
Scott’s mother Jackie, 56, told MailOnline: ‘They came out of the water and they were so happy to have come out of the water.
Scott was an avid sportsman who, according to his mother, had had “the time of his life” before his tragic death
“They were laughing and he asked his friend to take the video because there was no danger.
“They put the plate down and lightning hit him in the neck.
“Scott had no metal on him—just two small earrings.
‘It seemed that the storm had passed, the danger had passed.
“It was just a freak accident.
“He wasn’t on the board and it wasn’t anywhere near him.
“When Scott fell, he fell into the water. It was too heavy for Anna to lift, so a Brazilian man came to help.’
She added, “My son went out and had the time of his life, and God just decided to take him.
Scott grew up in Greece and went to school there before moving back to Liverpool (pictured as a child on the beach)
Beachgoers and emergency services desperately tried to save Mr Seddon’s life (pictured surfing in July 2021) but were unable to revive him
Lightning struck him in an instant. It was terrible, sad what happened.
“I texted him not to backtrack and told him a storm was coming so he was aware.”
Jackie and Stephen had come to pick him up to take him home, but then saw an ambulance.
His mother fought back tears and said, “As we got closer to the ambulance, I saw my son’s foot.
‘I saw Anna and she said: ‘He’s hit’.
Mr Seddon (pictured), who lived with his sister Layla and father Steve in a large bungalow in Liverpool, was described by close friends as a ‘lovely and very popular man’
“I thought he was hit by a car or boat. Stephen lay on the ground in the ambulance and yelled, “It’s my son.”‘
The family in the ambulance and Stephen helped resuscitate his son – whom the family nicknamed Elvis – before going to hospital.
In the family’s big bungalow, Jackie said, “They worked on him for an hour.
“They gave him adrenaline. I begged them, “Give him another one”.
So they gave him another one. They tried and did not give up.
‘But he was gone. I asked the doctor if they had found water in his lungs because I didn’t know he had been struck by lightning.’
Anna, 24, from Belfast, who was close to Scott but did not date him, recorded the video just five minutes before he was beaten
She added, “Scott was fearless. He was one of a kind, he was flamboyant. A beautiful blond boy.
“He would catch octopus and give it to the locals.”
His sister Layla, 24, said: ‘It was sunny by the time they got out of the water.
“When they were on their boards they saw a little bit of lightning, but by the time they got in it was in the distance, it was already over.
“There was no crazy water or lightning. The danger had passed.’
His sister added, “I’m just numb about losing him.
‘It doesn’t feel real. Everyone worshiped him.’
The couple also released new photos of Scott and his sister as children as a tribute.
Scott planned to go surfing and run the bulls in Spain with his girlfriend.