LINEMAN RYNE “NIKO” COOPER LEAVES BEHIND A WIFE AND TWO YOUNG SONS AFTER FATAL WORKPLACE ACCIDENT

TEXAS — A family is mourning the devastating loss of Ryne Cooper, an IBEW 66 lineman known affectionately as “Niko,” after he died while performing high-voltage electrical repair work during power restoration on August 11.

For his coworkers, he was a fellow lineman who understood the risks of the job. For his family, he was much more: a husband, a father, and someone whose presence was at the center of their lives.

Ryne leaves behind his wife, Macy Rae, and their two young sons, Reed and Rory.

A DANGEROUS JOB ENDED IN TRAGEDY

Lineworkers routinely work around high-voltage electrical systems, often in difficult and hazardous conditions while communities wait for their power to be restored.

On August 11, Ryne was carrying out electrical repair work when a workplace accident occurred.

He did not make it home.

News of his death has since brought an outpouring of support from relatives, friends and fellow workers who knew the man behind the uniform.

REMEMBERED AS A DEVOTED HUSBAND AND FATHER

Ryne’s sister-in-law, Kelsie, remembered him as a loving husband and devoted father.

She described him as “one of my very favorite people on this planet.”

That description reflects the role Ryne played within his family—not simply as a provider, but as a husband and father whose loss will be felt every day by the people closest to him.

For Macy, the future now looks completely different.

For Reed and Rory, they will grow up carrying memories of a father who never got the chance to watch them grow older.

A COMMUNITY RALLIES AROUND HIS FAMILY

Ryne’s coworkers and loved ones are now supporting Macy and the boys as they navigate the aftermath of the tragedy.

A fundraiser has also been established to help the family with the difficult road ahead.

The support is a reminder that behind every workplace fatality is a family, a group of friends and a community suddenly forced to cope with an absence that cannot be replaced.

REMEMBERING “NIKO”

Ryne Cooper was more than the circumstances of his death.

He was a husband.

He was a father.

He was a brother-in-law, coworker and friend.

And to the people who loved him, he was someone whose loss can never be measured simply by the job he was doing when the tragedy occurred.

Ryne leaves behind Macy, Reed and Rory—and a lifetime of memories for everyone who knew and loved him.

Please keep his family, his coworkers and everyone mourning his loss in your thoughts.

Rest easy, Niko.