Man killed by lightning was well respected

The death of a 52-year-old Tillsonburg man struck and killed by lightning is sending ripples of grief through Southwestern Ontario.

Dave Johnson was mowing his lawn around 3:15 p.m. on Sunday when he was hit.

Johnson owned Ruffin’s Pet Centre in Tillsonburg and was well known in the community.

“He truly had a heart of gold and the whole town is devastated by his passing,” said Anne Ploss with Purrfect Companions of Norfolk, a cat rescue organization.

“With his help, we were able to rehome many cats and kittens,” Ploss said, adding “we seldom left the store without some kind of donation for the shelter.”

Tributes to Johnson poured in on social media Monday, with many focusing on his kindness and generosity.

One employee wrote on Facebook that Johnson was “not only a boss. You were my friend. You have helped so many people in your life including myself.”

Not only was it tragic, but scary — he was just cutting the grass.

But lightning can be deadly, and it’s easy to underestimate the danger of a thunderstorm, experts say.

“Even with storm chasing, it’s what I would consider the one thing that scares me,” said Mark Robinson, a storm chaser and meteorologist with the Weather Network. “Even the most innocuous little thunderstorm can still kill you.”