Family of man who died repairing water main break in South Fulton looking for answers

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — The family of a worker who drowned while fixing a water main break in South Fulton is still searching for answers about what happened to cause his death.

On Saturday they released balloons in his memory and erected a memorial where he died.

Tracey Carter won’t forget the day earlier this month when she dropped off her husband, Willie James Carter, at work.

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Later that day she was told by a co-worker that her husband drowned while working as a subcontractor fixing the water main break at Butner Road and Union Road SW.

On Saturday, Tracey was joined by family and friends at the site of the accident where they celebrated his life.

“As he would say, ‘I’m here doing it for my baby.’ Everything he did was for his baby,” his stepdaughter Racquel Coleman said. “He took up a lot of space in a good way.”

Tracey said she still doesn’t know what led up to her husband’s death.

She did receive a letter from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

“They’re doing an investigation into what’s going on,” she said.

Willie’s friends and co-workers are calling for changes.

“It wasn’t safe what he was doing. They didn’t do the right thing they should have done so he couldn’t been with me right now,” friend Terry Mahome said.

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The group held a balloon release.

“This is making me know that I have to move on with my life without him,” Tracey said.

Willie James Carter was laid to rest earlier this month.

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