Indiana community mourns man killed at truck plant: 'Our hearts and prayers to all of his family'

Updated: Dec. 11, 2017 at 7:56 PM EST
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Ivan Bridgewater and his father (Source: Family photo)
Ivan Bridgewater and his father (Source: Family photo)
Ivan Bridgewater (Source: Seymour High School yearbook)
Ivan Bridgewater (Source: Seymour High School yearbook)

SEYMOUR, IN (WAVE) - Many questions are still looming about how a Ford worker was killed this weekend at the Kentucky Truck Plant.

"Terrible shame what happened. Our hearts and prayers to all of his family," Greg Prange, Principal at Seymour High School, said.

Years ago when he taught science, Ivan Bridgewater was one of his students. Bridgewater, 41, who worked as an electrician at the Ford Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, died early Saturday morning.

>> PREVIOUS STORY: Coroner ID's Ford plant victim

Ford has confirmed Bridgewater was an electrician and released a statement saying in part "we are deeply saddened by the death of an employee, our condolences go out to his family and co-workers."

A visitation will be held Tuesday, and a celebration of life service will be held Wednesday at Voss and Sons Funeral Services in Seymour, Indiana.

People in the community there said Bridgewater was a good person taken too soon.

"I found out yesterday and it was really a disbelief," Prange said. "Ivan always had a smile on his face. And you didn't know if he was up to something or he was having a really good day or both. So we really enjoyed having Ivan."

He remembers Ivan's long hair and infectious smile. He said Ivan was a jokester with a kind soul and it's hard to think his former student is really gone.

"They're my kids when I had them in school and they're still my kids though they may be in their 40s and 50s. So it's tough, it really is tough," Prange said.

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The coroner has not yet released Bridgewater's cause of death.

Bridgewater leaves behind his wife, Megan and his son, Ivan IV. Prange says that's who he's thinking of and praying for now.

OSHA and Ford Officials were at the scene Monday continuing their investigation.

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