Young dad, 24, expecting his second child is killed in freak lightning strike while out boating with his friends

A 24-year-old father a month away from meeting his second child was killed in a freak lightning strike while out boating with his brother and best friend in Utah. 

Skyler Granath, of Ogden, was out fishing with his brother Bridger Granath, 20, and friend Jacob Coe on Bear River on Sunday when a lightning strike struck their boat and flipped the vessel shortly after midnight. 

Coe and Bridger managed to safely get to shore with 'non-life-threatening injuries,' while Skyler 'went under the water and could not be located,' Box Elder County Sheriff's Office said. 

Granath's fiancée, Maddie Palmer, paid tribute to the young father and her 'best friend,' writing: 'Skyler was the best dad, the best husband, brother, son, and friend. He was my best friend and will forever be the love of my life.

'All I want is to cuddle him to sleep like I do every night. And have him kiss the baby bump to sleep,' Palmer wrote in an emotional Facebook post. 'Rest easy, my love, please watch over us.' 

The pair share a two-year-old daughter and are expecting a second child.

Skyler Granath, of Ogden, (pictured with fiancée) was out fishing with his brother Bridger Granath, 20, and friend Jacob Coe on Bear River on Sunday when a lightning strike struck their boat and flipped them out of the vessel shortly after midnight

Bridger attempted to bring Skyler (pictured) back to shore, but was struck by another bolt, forcing them to separate

Skyler and Bridger's grandfather, Arnold Mutti, said Bridger 'flipped three times up in the air before he hit the water' after the bolt capsized their boat.  

'Flipped all three of them out of the boat into the air,' Mutti told KSL-TV.

The three men saw the storm and started heading to shore when the lightning bolt struck them, according to the local outlet. 

Bridger attempted to bring Skyler back to shore, but was hit by another bolt, forcing them to separate, Mutti said. 

Skyler's body was at 5:30am after authorities used sonar and diving teams to find him, police said. 

The 24-year-old leaves behind fiancée, Maddie Palmer, and their two-year-old daughter. The young man was just short of meeting his second child, who is expected to arrive within a month

Skyler's body was at 5:30am after authorities used sonar and diving teams to find him, police said. Coe and Bridger managed to safely get to shore with 'non-life-threatening injuries' 

Palmer told the outlet that they often spent their weekends tubing or on the boat and having a 'really fun time.' 

'[He] was just the funniest person ever,' Palmer, who is a stay-at-home mom, told KSL-TV. 

They were also preparing to get married right after their second baby was born. 

'I realized throughout the eight years we've been together, there hasn’t been one night I’ve been without him for the last six years,' Palmer wrote on Facebook.   

The pair was preparing to get married right after their second baby was born

The family has opened a memorial account under Granath's name at America First Credit Union to help pay for funeral expenses. 

'I usually would never ask for money but right now we are really struggling for funeral funds and to pay house payments and any and all bills,' she wrote on Facebook. 

'All I wanted to be was a stay-at-home mom and Skyler was giving me that opportunity. But Now that everything has happened I will need a little extra help till I can get back on my feet.'