PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. — We're learning more about the Elkhorn man who was killed Wednesday at a Pleasant Prairie construction site.
34-year-old Cody Nelson leaves behind a wife and two kids.
Family said Cody Nelson was a kind, loving friend, husband, and family member with a personality that could light up a room. His wife, Allie Nelson, who said she isn't ready to talk on camera yet, said Cody Nelson loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and snowboarding. He was also a great musician.
Cody's family includes 48 cousins. Friday evening, dozens of them filled his Elkhorn home. While Cody wasn't there, his spirit could be felt echoing throughout the walls and corridors of the house. His humor, musical talent and his love bounced from wall to wall, emotions oscillating between tears and laughter seemingly every second. For the charismatic construction crooner, his physical presence is sorely missed but he isn't gone from the minds and hearts of those who loved him immensely.
"I still want to just wake up and it be a bad dream and not believe it's real," Ethan Calkins, Cody's cousin said. "Absolutely heartbroken."
Friends and family swiped through a shared Google Photos album with thousands of photos and videos of a man that truly feels like more of a myth and legend.
In one photo, the father of two was hardly recognizable with a fresh mullet and blonde mustache. It's from a time when he stayed in Colorado. The mustache is styled with curls at the end, but it wouldn't be too far fetched to believe his infectious smile turned the ends of the 'stache towards the heavens.
"He's the funniest person I've ever known," Kent Sanderson, another cousin said. "A lot of good times."
Having 48 cousins means it's hard to find silence when this tight knit family gets together, which happens more often than not. What's harder, is standing out among those four dozen folks. However, Cody did it with ease. His sense of humor, charm, generosity and work ethic made him an easy leader both personally and professionally. Sanderson says Cody's drive and motivation helped them on the hardest of work days.
"We called him the In-Cody-ble Hulk," Sanderson said. "He was our bulldog. When things get really tough and you want to give up, he pushed through it and we always got it done. He's going to be so missed."
It's that kind of passion and personality that connected Cody and Allie. The two have been together for six years and share two children together. While Allie isn't ready to talk at length about her husband, Kent explained what it was like when they first met.
"He knew right away he was going to marry her," Sanderson said. "He knew right away that they were going to be together and he was going to make a life with her."
A life of love, helping grow the extended Nelson family. As amazing as Cody was before kids, Kent says it reached another level after they were born.
"He loved his kids so much," Sanderson said. "That's all he cared about. His kids, his wife and having a family. He was a family man. He really was."
Allie Nelson said Cody loved his family the most and will be remembered as a loving husband, dad, son, brother, uncle, nephew, and friend to all who knew him.
Among the photos and videos are dozens, if not hundreds, of Cody singing. Ethan and Cody frequently played together, singing at other family members' weddings, like Kent's.
"He has a beautiful voice," Kent remembers. "He was something special."
Whether it was karaoke renditions of Ben Harper's 'Steal my Kisses' or forgetting the words of O.A.R.'s 'Crazy Game of Poker,' during a practice with Ethan, Cody's smile captured the hearts of everyone in the room.
Even when taking on songs that may not fit the appearance of a 6'1, 200-something pound blue collar man's man. His favorite? Valerie as performed by Amy Winehouse.
"That was his favorite song," Ethan said. "He nailed it. He'd always sing it."
But one song feels extra special to everyone now. It's from a selfie video Cody posted to his Facebook page in 2018. The clean cut construction worker was years away from the bearded bravado seen in this article. Walking around, he belts out the words to Bob Marley's 'Three Little Birds.'
The words hitting differently today, almost like a message from the other side.
Don't worry. About a thing. Cuz every little thing, is gonna be alright.
In a house used to constant noise, a silence fell over the living room, save for the inevitable sniffle or heavy breath caught between tears.
For a second, it felt as if he was there. The one steadying presence this family has had for 34 years is Cody and the video was a reminder, albeit a chilling one, that the family can go on without him physically there.
Breaking her silence on the couch, Allie shared what everyone was feeling.
"He loves us all so much," She said. "He's going to be here in our hearts forever. We're very grateful for everybody's support."
You can help donate to the Nelson family by visiting their GoFundMe page.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), said preliminary information states Cody Nelson was working on a new section of water main pipe near the 9400 block of Sheridan Road.
OSHA states that Cody Nelson was working on a pipe that had been capped off eight weeks prior. However, when he went to remove the cap to continue working on the pipe, the pressure of the water blew the cap off, hitting and killing Cody Nelson.
Pleasant Prairie Police told TMJ4 they were the first to the scene.
In OSHA's preliminary report, it also said Cody Nelson was an employee of Bradford Contractors which was hired by the city of Pleasant Prairie to do this work.
TMJ4 reached out to Bradford Contractors Friday, the person who answered the phone said they had nothing to add to our story at this time. The owner of Bradford Contractors is a relative of Cody and was not able to make comment yet while the small family company continues to mourn this loss.
The company launched in 2006 according to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Insitutions. Since then, OSHA has filed just one violation against the company in 2012, for a potential trench collapse hazard.
Cody Nelson's death is now under investigation by OSHA. We're told they have six weeks to complete the investigation and issue citations and, or penalties to Bradford if violations of workplace safety are found.
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