A man who died over the weekend while trying to get kids off the Seaside Park beach during a storm was struck by lightning, according to police.

Patrick Dispoto, 58, died at the hospital on Sunday after he was found unconscious on the beach. His girlfriend Ruth tells News 12 he made sure she was safe inside his truck before heading up the dune and onto the sand to get some kids off of the beach. Then the storm hit.

An autopsy confirmed on Tuesday that Dispoto died an accidental death caused by lightning.

The death comes as Seaside Park officials were working on upgraded lighting detection systems.