Dad, 23, Dies After Being Hit by Construction Equipment as Grandfather Watched Helplessly

In a heartbreaking workplace tragedy that’s shaken a small Michigan community, a 23-year-old father was killed after being struck by a piece of heavy construction equipment — with his own grandfather, the site foreman, holding him in his final moments.

Ryan Starnes was more than just a construction worker. He was a devoted father to a 6-year-old son named Luke, a loving fiancé, and the sole breadwinner for his young family. Known for his tireless work ethic and soft heart, Ryan had been working underground utility jobs since the age of 18 — laboring long hours to provide for his nonverbal, autistic son.

On Monday, June 30, that devotion was cut short when a large excavator bucket crushed him at a Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) job site in Brighton.

The fatal accident occurred around 3 p.m. on a massive $45 million highway expansion project near Grand River Avenue and I-96. According to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA), Ryan was in a trench between a concrete structure and the bucket of an excavator when the machine operator, unaware of his position, shifted the bucket — striking and crushing him.

“The bucket was resting on the ground,” MIOSHA confirmed. “The operator didn’t see the employee when he moved the equipment.”

Despite desperate efforts by officers already on the scene, Ryan succumbed to his critical injuries at the hospital shortly after.

Making the tragedy even more unbearable, Ryan wasn’t just working among strangers. His uncle and grandfather were also part of the crew. The man overseeing the site — and one of the first to reach Ryan after the accident — was his own grandfather.

“His grandpa was the one that held him when it happened,” said Ryan’s fiancée, Ky-El McRae, through tears.

McRae shared her anguish in a devastating Facebook post the night of the accident:
“I never thought I would say goodbye to you. I just saw your sleeping face last night… Just told you I loved you. I don’t want to say goodbye.”

She also described Ryan’s recent efforts to create a better life for their son. “Everything was starting to fall into place. How on earth am I supposed to do this without you?”

The construction site is now under investigation by MIOSHA. The agency declined to comment further, citing an open case, though similar investigations often take months to conclude.

Meanwhile, a grieving family is trying to pick up the pieces. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help cover funeral expenses and provide for Luke’s ongoing care.

“Ryan never complained,” wrote the fundraiser’s organizer. “He’d do anything to take care of his family.”

The tragic circumstances of Ryan’s death have already raised concerns about safety procedures and visibility protocols on large-scale construction sites.

“This wasn’t just a freak accident,” said one family friend. “There are supposed to be safeguards in place. How was Ryan not seen?”

The community is calling for answers — and accountability — from both MDOT and the contractor responsible for managing the site.

As of now, neither the Michigan Department of Transportation nor the Livingston County Medical Examiner’s Office has issued a public statement.