20-Year-Old Man Dead After Touching Live Wire While Working on Power Pole: ‘Unimaginable Grief’

"He was constantly looking at the brighter side of life, even in the toughest of times. He will be dearly missed," one friend of the late utility worker wrote

A 20-year-old utility worker died after he touched a live wire while working on a power pole in Prentiss, Miss., on Tuesday, Aug. 6, according to multiple reports.

Jayton Stahlhut died on the job after inspecting the pole in Prentiss — a town 60 miles southeast of Jackson, Miss — local police said, per WLBT. He worked for EXO at the time of his death, which came one day after tropical Storm Debby hit Florida’s Big Bend coast and caused widespread power outages in multiple states. 

Prentiss Police Department Chief Richard Browning told USA Today that after Stahlhut was shocked, his co-worker called 911 for help and immediately performed CPR until the ambulance arrived.

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First responders arrived on the scene and then transported Stahlhut to a hospital, where he died hours later. Jefferson County Corner Dedra M. Johnson said Stahlhut’s cause of death was electrocution, per USA Today. Johnson told the outlet that toxicology test results are pending but noted his death was ruled an accident.

Representatives for the Jefferson County Corner, Prentiss Police Department and EXO did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Tuesday.

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A GoFundMe was created to help raise money for Stahlhut’s funeral on behalf of his wife and parents, who are "grappling with unimaginable grief and loss." The page also paid tribute to Stahlhut as someone who was "loyal to those he loved."

Stahlhut’s obituary also remembered the young man: “Jayton was always happy, smiling and was known to be one most compassionate people, who cared about everything and everyone.” The Tennessee native “married the love of his life,” Erin Clark, last June.

Additionally, those who knew him expressed their grief in a tribute section of his online obituary. “Jayton always [knew] how to make people smile and feel happy and accepted people for who they are and never left anyone out even if he didn’t know them at all,” wrote one person.

Another added: “Jayton was a great [friend]. He always had a smile and was always willing to go on wild adventures. He was constantly looking at the brighter side of life even in the toughest of times. He will be dearly missed.”

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