A DEVOTED dad has died after being found face down in a swimming pool while celebrating his son’s wedding on a cruise ship.
Stephen Junker, 58, sustained a spinal cord injury before nearly drowning while on the vessel off the coast of Italy, per a family fundraiser.
The beloved Minnesota pastor was rushed to a hospital in Naples by the coast guard after the August 16 incident, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit.
Stephen immediately underwent emergency spinal cord surgery, but was left quadriplegic and unable to breathe without a ventilator.
On August 23, he was transported to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota for further treatment.
Despite desperate efforts to save him, Stephen’s daughter, Elizabeth, announced that he succumbed to his injuries on September 4.
Sharing the update on the family GoFundMe page, she wrote: “At 6:33 PM today, Steve went to be with Jesus. He was surrounded by his wife, children, parents, and friends.
“Further diagnostic testing had revealed injuries that were not treatable.
“We’re grateful to everyone at Mayo Clinic for their excellent care and to everyone who donated to help support Steve and the family.
“We’re glad we were able to give him the opportunity to receive world-class care and reassured that everything that could possibly be done to help him was done.”
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Stephen began his career as a pharmacist after receiving his degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.
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