A TikTok of the Final Call for Lineman Kyle Ferree Has Gone Viral — What Happened to Him?

On Oct. 31, 2020, Kyle Ferree asked his girlfriend, Hunter, to marry him. Less than a year later, in August 2021, they were officially husband and wife. If you look through photos on Kyle's Facebook, you'll be hard-pressed to find one where he isn't smiling next to Hunter. There are joyful pictures of them at a beach, in a car, at a pumpkin patch, and, eventually, with their two little girls and a printout of a sonogram promising a third child.

If you don't know who Kyle is, that makes sense. He was a pretty normal guy living a decent life in Indiana. If the American dream exists anymore, it's safe to say that Kyle achieved it. He probably would have continued to fly below the radar outside of his own circle if it weren't for the viral TikTok that revealed he had passed away. What happened to Kyle Ferree? Here's what we know.

In a TikTok shared by Cody Wright, several men are gathered around a CB radio as a man's voice says, "Stand by for an announcement of a final call." This is a ceremony typically performed when a firefighter, police officer, or lineman dies on the job. The person on the CB radio goes on to say, "Distribution control center to Kyle Ferree," three times.

Following a moment of silence, we are told Kyle has served his last shift and climbed his last pole. "His hooks are hung after six years of service at LG&E, and his work here on Earth is done." Kyle served with "skill, courage, and brotherhood" and was "always ready to answer the call, no matter the time or the weather." One by one, the men sign off with their own call sign.

According to WDRB, Kyle died after being electrocuted while working to reconductor a power line in Oldham County. The 26-year-old was a lineman. His mother told the outlet that despite the dangers of the job, her son loved it. "It's definitely a calling, and we just continue to pray for the safety of all the other linemen and women out there," said Mary Ferree.

Linemen "work to set up, as well as maintain, the power lines that direct electricity to homes and businesses," per Lineman Central. Like Kyle, they usually work for utility or energy companies. The difference between a lineman and an electrician is mostly where they do their work. While electricians are mostly inside, focusing on indoor wiring and electrical distribution systems, linemen are outside, helping to install and maintain power transmission lines.

Lineman Central reported, based on national lineman surveys and utility company data, that 42 for every 100,000 lineman are killed on the job each year. It's one of the most dangerous manual labor jobs a person can have behind loggers and agriculture workers. A donation page has been set up for Kyle's family. As of this writing, it is $10,000 away from its goal.