A Twin Cities man and Brazil native has died after being struck by lightning Wednesday on a mountaintop in the Cusco region of Peru — and now his family is trying to bring his remains home to Minnesota.
Yuri Botelho, 36, was visiting southern Peru with his wife and young son, according to the Associated Press. He had climbed to the summit of a mountain — about 13,900 feet above sea level — with a Peruvian guide and an American friend, James Alexander Fernández. He was planning to descend on his bicycle when an electrical storm hit, and he was struck by lightning.
“He was one of those types of people where it seemed like he never had a bad day,” said Georgio Winston, a friend from Los Angeles, adding that Botelho was a “welcoming, comforting” person.
Botelho was an avid outdoorsman and very adventurous, said Winston, who attended his wedding in Yosemite National Park. He often talked about his family and the life he wanted to have with Kelsey, his wife of three years.
A police group later found his body along with Fernández, who was injured, and Dani Peralta, the guide, who wasn’t seriously hurt. Fernández was taken to a hospital.
Botelho, an engineering technician, had started working for the city of St. Louis Park about five months ago. In a statement, a city spokesperson said they were aware of the news of his death.
“This is a tremendous loss for his family, friends and for all of us as his colleagues. Yuri had only been with the city for a short time but was already a trusted and valued employee and friend. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Botelho was on a trip with Kelsey and their 1-year-old son, Tyson, along with other friends. They were visiting the Machu Picchu area.
