CORNWALL — The closely-knit family of an 18-year-old who was struck by lightning on Friday described the avid biker and engineering student as loving, dedicated and generous.

“He was always cheerful,” said Cornwall resident Diane Gauthier, the aunt of Joel Gauthier, who died early Saturday morning. “He had a great sense of humour.”

Joel lived in Rockland with his parents and 16-year-old sister, but his paternal grandparents, seven cousins and two sets of aunts and uncles live in Cornwall.

The teenager, who would have celebrated his 19th birthday next week, was riding his bike through an Ottawa park with his girlfriend on Friday evening, but stopped for shelter under a tree when it started to rain.

“Lightning hit the tree, and it hit him,” said his grandmother, Huguette Gauthier. “His heart stopped.”

A passerby called for help and carried out cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Joel was transported to a hospital by paramedics where he died a few hours later.

Huguette and her husband Jean-Guy were in Brockville for a Knights of Columbus event when they received a call around 11 p.m. They quickly rushed to the capital to be with their family.

“He died on his bike, and that’s what he loved doing,” said Huguette.

“He had a few spills before, but he always came out of it,” added Jean-Guy.

He said his grandson was following in his footsteps by becoming an engineer — both loved to tinker with machines and do repairs themselves. He said Joel had just spent $350 upgrading his bike.

“He was a hard worker,” said Huguette.

Diane agreed, adding that Joel was very determined, not letting a medical condition slow him down or postpone his entrance into Carleton University last year.

“He had a great heart,” she said. “He had so many wonderful qualities. He was a very intelligent young man.”

Sylvie Bowman, another aunt, said Joel even started a support group at Carleton for others with similar health problems.

“He was a phenomenal young man,” she said, adding that Joel taught her son to ski and would fight with his cousins over his grandmother’s much-loved doughnuts.

Diane said he had built ramps and jumps for his mountain bike in his backyard, but also helped out his parents with a stone pathway around the house.

She said he often spent time with his cousins — who range in age from 12 to 21 — playing video games or telling jokes.

“Joel always knew what to say to (his cousin) to cheer him up, even when he didn’t know what was wrong,” said Diane.

“He was a brother to me,” added Matthieu Gauthier, Diane’s 21-year-old son. “He was one of a kind, always there for anyone with great advice.”

Jean-Guy said Joel’s family had visited Cornwall just a couple of weeks ago to celebrate the 50th birthday of an uncle.

“We’re a close family,” he said.

Huguette, choking back tears, motioned to a few stairs leading to a side door of their home.

“He was so tall,” she said. “He would stand on the last step to reach me.”

“When he would hug me, I would go below his shoulders and on his chest,” added Sylvie, noting Joel was at least six feet, while she is just 5-foot-two. “He would tap my head and tell me he loved his little aunt.”

“We loved him a lot,” said Huguette. “He’ll be very missed.”