Man Killed In Lightning Strike Was Manhattan Beach City Staffer

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — A young father, who climbed to the summit of a Peruvian mountain where he was struck and killed by lightning, was a former Manhattan Beach city staffer, according to city officials and media reports.

Yuri Botelho was on a trip with family in Peru the day before Thanksgiving when he was killed. This week, City Hall is mourning his death.

The city called the loss of Yuri Botelho, who worked as an engineer technician with the city until earlier this year, “tragic.”

“Yuri’s warmth, positivity, and dedication touched everyone who had the privilege of working with him,” city officials said. “Our hearts are with his wife, Kelsey, their son, Tyson, and all who knew and loved him.”

Local police identified Botelho, 36, as one of two tourists struck by lightning in the mountains in southern Peru on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.

Botelho, his friend, James Alexander Fernández, and a tour guide climbed the summit of a Cusco mountain, planning to descend when lightning hit, the news outlet reported. The tour guide was not seriously injured, while Fernández was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Fernández, who teaches science at Palm Harbor Middle School in Florida, remains critically injured, according to a GoFundMe, Patch reported.

Botelho started working in Minnesota as an engineering technician with the City of St. Louis Park in July after a three-year stint with the city of Manhattan Beach, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Botelho and his family moved to the area to be closer to his wife’s family, CBS News reported.

"If you met Yuri once, you'll never forget him," his sister-in-law, Mandy Skoog, told the news outlet. "He is just the happiest person I have ever met."

Botelho was “a beloved son, husband, father, and friend to everyone who met him,” loved ones said in a GoFundMe for the family.

“We know Yuri has touched the lives of many and has left a remarkable legacy,” loved ones wrote.