The husband of One Tree Hill star Bevin Prince has died after being struck by lightning whilst on a boat trip.
William Friend was on the vessel with friends near the home he shared with his actor wife in Wilmington, North Carolina when he was killed on Sunday.
The 33-year-old Brit was pronounced dead by emergency responders after attempts were made to revive him.
His death came just one week before what would have been his 34th birthday.
Bevin and William married in 2016 and celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary in May.
Following the news of William’s death, Bevin’s friend, fellow actor Odette Annable paid tribute to him on Instagram, saying the “unimaginable has happened”.
“Will, it feels surreal writing this,” Odette wrote.
“’Mostly because it feels like you were just getting started. The life and love that you gave to my best friend made it feel okay that we were thousands of miles apart.
“As I sit in your beautiful home, looking out onto the ocean, I keep thinking about what a gift you gave to Bevin. What a gift you gave to everyone who knew you to witness the passion that burned in your soul. The passion to help people, to build your business, to find happiness like I’d never seen from you living in North Carolina with Bevin.”
Odette said she was with Bevin as she wrote the post and that she’d been “hearing her share stories about you and your love breaks my heart for her, because she lost the love of her life and the world lost a really really good one.”
She continued: “I know you will still be with her and your gorgeous brothers and family the Prince family, and we will all feel you spreading your light and beauty through everyone who was fortunate enough to know you.
“At only 33 years old, you did it, and you went out like no other in a blaze of glory. May you Rest In Peace you charming, witty, beautiful British man who loved the shit out of America. I love you”.
Safety experts said William’s tragic death is a reminder of the dangers of being out on the water during storms.
Captain Ryan Saporito with Sea Tow Wrightsville Beach, who was helping other boats during Sunday’s storm, told WECT: “There’s really no safe place on a boat’ in a storm.”
John Jensenius of the National Lightning Safety Council told the outlet that being on the water during a storm can be deadly.
“Some people think that there’s some protection just based on a little bit of metal, but really there isn’t when you consider that lightning gets into the metal systems of your boat and you’re very close to those. So really very little protection, especially if you’re an open boat,” he said.
Bevin starred as Bevin Mirskey on One Tree Hill, appearing in 41 episodes throughout the show’s first five seasons, as well as season nine.