GRIFFIN, Ga. — Every workday, Eric Weems would jump into his vehicle and get on the road to be a light to others. With an energetic smile and a passionate spirit, the problem solver would go out into his community to help get the electricity turned on for those in need.
But never could anyone have imagined that on Wednesday, he would be working on his very last puzzle as a lineman for the City of Griffin.
RELATED: City officials identify lineman who died after 'equipment failure' during power project in Griffin
Weems was tragically killed after an accident during a power project on Spalding Street, where Griffin Police said the equipment used in the project had failed. One of his colleagues was also injured in the incident and is in critical but stable condition.
In a video previously made by the city, Weems gave insight into his day-to-day life as a lineman and his love for his job. The lineman had been with the city in that role for over 10 years. But before that, he worked for a cable company and was also in the Navy.
For Weems, being a lineman meant not only could he be himself -- he could be surrounded by others like him. He said his job attracted similar types of people. The Griffin man with an analytical mind had a heart for the outdoors and for helping others.
"I don't know if I could work a job on the inside," he said in the video.
Weems said he loved the challenges that came with the job and that he was the type of person who is detail-oriented. He liked doing things by the book. He compared his job to solving a puzzle or being a detective trying to solve a murder case by fixing issues with electricity.
"It's very fulfilling," he said about his job. "I can go out and solve problems and essentially be me. And get paid for it and to be able to help others while I'm doing it. Can't beat it."
Weems touched on the danger his job can hold when dealing with electricity. He mentioned that workers must always be extra cautious and that getting sleep is important so the mind is sharp. Every day in his line of work varies -- the situations are different, and what may have solved an issue one day could not the next.
"What worked yesterday may not work today with electricity. It can be real finicky," Weems said.
But despite the danger, it was the concept of helping others that drove him. He described a hypothetical situation where a lineman could work in the winter, and there's a family with young children in the cold without electricity. But with his work, he can resolve it and bring light into people's lives -- both figuratively and literally.
Linemen are also critical in the aftermath of natural disasters. Weems would not only help out in Georgia but had also traveled out of state to assist following hurricanes. He said linemen work 16-hour days for a big storm, and a normal work day is 10 hours. But if someone is on call, the hours can be pushed to 16.
"You can't buy that feeling," Weems said in the video. "The gratification you get with getting those people's lights on is overwhelming."
The City of Griffin is working to learn more about what happened and to support other employees during this difficult time.
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