LINEMAN NATHAN REYNOLDS HONOURED IN FITTING FINAL SALUTE

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

BRACEBRIDGE — Nathan Reynolds received a fitting farewell and tribute today from family, friends and fellow hydro workers.

The Gravenhurst resident arrived at the Bracebridge Fairgrounds under archway of Hydro One trucks parked on either side of the entrance drive — their orange buckets stretched up and out over the gravel road — as the Reynolds Funeral Home hearse brought him to a day-long visitation.

A lone hydro pole with a an unlit street light stood at mute attention, leaning in from the left shoulder of the road.

His wife Lindsay and his parents, Scott and Sandra Reynolds, and a few family and friends held a short farewell service just after 8:30 a.m.

Then it was an all-day visitation in which people arrived in intervals of 45 minutes to pay their respects in small groups of 50 — made by online appointment — until 9 p.m.

Reynolds, who was born in Bracebridge, had followed in his family’s footsteps with a career as a lineman with Hydro One.

He “passed away suddenly in a tragic workplace accident June 15” in Cochrane, said the family.

They say he was “in a ditch” pushing a broken-down UTV when he was hit by a pickup truck that left the road on Hwy. 11 at 1:30 p.m. east of Smooth Rock Falls.

An earlier report quoting police said he was driving, but the family said later they told him he was struck off the road.

Reynolds was pronounced dead at the scene, according to James Bay OPP. The driver of the pickup truck was not injured.

Three other Hydro One bucket trucks from Gravenhurst and the Bracebridge works yard (next to the fairgrounds) were also parked out front.

One facing Hwy. 11 had a Canadian flag hanging from its highest point in honour of lineman Reynolds.

Family, friends and fellow workers arrived at the Bracebridge Fairgrounds today beneath a row of Hydro One bucket trucks for a service, visitation and celebration of life for Nathan Reynolds, of Gravenhurst, who died in a workplace accident in Cochrane June 15.
The all-day visitation today at the fairgrounds was by appointment only and limited to 50 people at a time.
An avid fisherman, Nathan Reynolds was remembered by his fellow workers who saluted the 27-year-old lineman who followed in his family’s footsteps.

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