Video from Peru shows first responders rushing to help a Minnesota man after a lightning strike killed him. Now, his family is working to bring his body home.
“You will be missed greatly by your family and son, especially,” said Brett Skoog, Yuri Botelho’s brother-in-law.
Brett added, if he could tell his brother-in-law one last thing, it would be: “We know you’re in a better place.”
On Thanksgiving Eve, Botelho was biking in the Peruvian mountains with his friend James and a guide when a sudden lightning strike struck, killing Yuri and critically injuring his friend.
“Kelsey was tracking his watch, saw it wasn’t moving,” Brett said.
Botelho, 36, was on his annual Thanksgiving trip with his wife of three years, Kelsey, and their 15-month-old son, Tyson.
“We’ll make sure we do our part in making sure Tyson knows how much he was loved,” said Mandy Skoog, his sister-in-law.
A jujitsu-loving Brazilian native, Botelho proudly shared on Instagram in May that he had become an American citizen.
An Instagram post by Yuri Botelho on May 2, 2025, read in part: “Officially American Citizen … after a lot of effort, hard work, paperwork, sweat, blood, tears, taxes, fees, doubts and anxiety we made it.”
He had recently moved to Minnesota to be near his wife’s family and worked for the city of St. Louis Park.
“If you met Yuri once, you’ll never forget him,” said Mandy Skoog.
When asked why, she explained, “He is just the happiest person I have ever met.”
As of Friday night, Kelsey and their son are in South America, navigating the logistics of bringing Yuri home.
Skoog Family
Yuri Botelho, 36, with his wife, Kelsey, and their 15-month-old son, Tyson.
“You almost feel helpless, which is why I’m very thankful my brother and Kelsey’s friend pretty much hopped on a plane as soon as they could,” Brett said.
Mandy added, “She’s fighting as a spouse trying to get Yuri home and fighting for her son, making sure he has everything he needs. Man, we were lucky to have him.”
The City of St. Louis Park said in response:
“We at the City of St. Louis Park are aware of the very tragic news about Yuri Botelho. This is a tremendous loss for his family, his 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.”
The family says financial support and prayers are what they need most. An online fundraiser has raised nearly $30,000.
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