Community mourns Colorado rancher killed in lightning strike

Rancher Mike Morgan, 51, died Saturday after being struck by lightning while feeding his cows in the Colorado mountains.

It happened in Jackson County between the towns of Rand and Walden. It’s a small, close-knit, rural community. So much so that a statement from the sheriff’s office included a personal note saying the victim was a distinguished member of the community and will be missed.

Now the community is coming together to mourn Morgan and support his family.

“Mike is a die-hard cowboy. He’s a cowboy through and through,” said family friend Jim Sandberg.

Sandberg grew up with Morgan in Jackson County.

“He just had a big grin and an irresistible laugh. Just a funny guy,” Sandberg said.

Sandberg has since moved elsewhere in Colorado, but recently visited Morgan in the hospital after an accident on the ranch.

“I was there until 3 or 4 in the morning, reminiscing about the old days,” Sandberg said.

He says Morgan and his wife Niki own a ranch between Walden and Rand and have a 17-year-old daughter named Dallas.

“They’re obviously a great couple, being together since high school, having their daughter and everything. Great people, you’ll never find better people,” Sandberg said.

On Saturday, Morgan and 34 of his cattle were killed by a single lightning strike, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said.

“It’s not uncommon for a large group of animals to be killed by a lightning strike,” said Steven Clark, president of the Lightning Data Center at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood.

Clark says Colorado has a lot of lightning activity because of the mountains.

“In most cases, it’s called a ground current. In other words, lightning strikes an object on the ground and the current flows through the ground and kills the animals,” Clark said.

The Lightning Data Center would like to learn more about the circumstances of this lightning strike and plans to discuss it at its meeting next month.

“It’s just a tragedy. It’s just crazy that something like this could happen,” Sandberg said.

Sandberg says neighbors immediately rallied around the Morgans.

“A few other ranchers from the area came together and started burying the dead cattle,” Sandberg said.

Dozens have volunteered to bring food to the family, and an online fundraiser has already raised nearly $10,000.

“Everyone up there looks after each other,” said Sandberg.

It is the beginning of a long healing process after a life was lost in an instant.

“Think of your loved ones, you know, don’t let anything pass you by without saying something,” Sandberg said.

Sandberg says he plans to attend Morgan’s funeral this week.

His wife and daughter said, “He was absolutely the best husband and father we could have asked for. We were blessed with the short time we were able to spend with him.”