Antonio Pascual Mateo, a 24-year-old California resident, reportedly lost his life while attempting to hang Christmas lights. According to a statement from the Medical Examiner of the County of San Diego, the fatal accident occurred on the morning of Thursday, November 21, 2024.
Mateo was said to have been decorating a home for the festive season, working on the roof when the accident unfolded. Reports indicate that at approximately 10:48 a.m., he accidentally threw the string of Christmas lights over a high-voltage powerline which led to a fatal electrocution.
Emergency services were contacted, and paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after. However, Mateo was found entangled in the branches of a tree, hanging upside down. Despite the swift response, first responders were forced to wait until the utility company could shut down the power, leaving Mateo trapped in the tree for over an hour. Tragically, by the time he was reached, it was too late to save him.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to assist the family with funeral expenses and to help transport his remains to Guatemala, his family’s home country. To date, the campaign has raised over $14,000 of its $20,000 goal.
The campaign organizer described Mateo as a caring and dedicated family member. “He was a brother, a son, and an uncle. His name was Antonio Pascual. He had so much to live for, only 24 years old,” reads the campaign description.
“He had been working on putting up Christmas lights around the tree. He always took care of his mother and family. Sadly, he was electrocuted by the power lines as he was fixing the Christmas lights. He fell and remained stuck in the tree, trapped for an hour. The rescue team had to wait for the power company to shut off the electricity. It was too late to save him. Forever young he will remain.”
The grieving family expressed that Christmas lights would forever hold a poignant meaning for them, serving as a bittersweet reminder of Mateo’s life. “He will remain in our hearts for eternity,” the statement concludes.
