Mr Morrissey’s son Jayden died on Saturday afternoon after he was struck by lightning while standing on One Mile Beach at Port Stephens.

The 15-year-old was spending the weekend surfing with close family friends when a storm blew over about 5pm.

A bolt of lightning struck him while he stood about 20 metres from the water’s edge.

Six paramedics and a senior doctor from John Hunter Hospital tried to save the teenager, but he died at the scene.

Mr Morrissey said his family would always ask why Jayden had been taken in such a random act of nature.

“If there is one thing I could say to any parent is that they kiss their kids every day and tell them they love them because you never know when they are not going to come home,” he said.

Mr Morrissey said Jayden’s mother Peta and his brothers Brodi (19), Jarryd (11) and Logan (8) were trying to come to terms with what had happened.

He said the family wanted to thank everyone who had tried to save his son’s life.

“This storm that blew in gave them no time to react,” Mr Morrissey said.

“The gentleman they were surfing with had two other boys who were still in the water. 

“He told them to come out and as he looked back to where Jayden was standing on the beach he saw him grab his chest and fall.

“Jayden, being a little bit of a villain, they thought he was acting the goat and then realised that the lightning had actually hit him.

“That gentleman, we can’t thank him enough, he worked on him tirelessly until the paramedics came.”

Mr Morrissey said Jayden was a typical little surfie who loved the water and enjoyed playing and refereeing rugby league.

The Francis Greenway High School student was well liked and was close to his brothers.

“A lot of kids looked up to Jayden and Jayden liked being someone people looked up to,” Mr Morrissey said.  “He was full of energy, he loved wake boarding, he loved surfing.

“He could do everything, he could even ride a unicycle .”

Jayden’s death has also left the Thornton-Beresfield rugby league community reeling for the second time in a fortnight.

He was a young referee in the Hunter rugby league competition and former player for Thornton-Beresfield Bears.

Saturday’s tragedy came only 11 days after 18-year-old Beresfield man Harry Hofman died suddenly from a ruptured spleen on October 21.

Newcastle Rugby League referees executive support welfare officer John Taylor has known the Morrissey family for about 10 years.

He said Jayden had a rare quality that helped him be friends with people older than him, as well as those who were younger than him.