A Minnesota pastor has died weeks after suffering a severe spinal cord injury and nearly drowning during his son’s wedding celebration aboard a cruise ship in Italy.
Pastor Steve Junker of Chippewa Lutheran Church in Brandon died at the age of 58 after doctors determined that his injuries could not be treated.
His daughter, Elizabeth Junker, announced his death in an update posted Friday to a GoFundMe page that had originally been created to help with his recovery.
“At 6:33 PM today, Steve went to be with Jesus,” she wrote. “He was surrounded by his wife, children, parents, and friends.”
She said further testing 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,” Elizabeth added. “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.”
Junker was injured on Aug. 16 during the family’s trip to Italy for his son’s wedding celebration.
He suffered a serious cervical spinal cord injury, including severe compression of the spinal cord, and nearly drowned.
He was initially hospitalized in Naples before being transported back to the United States on Aug. 23 for treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
He remained there until his death.
Junker’s widow, Jeanine Junker, later shared an emotional statement through Chippewa Lutheran Church.
“Mourning the loss of a Pastor for our church family is very difficult to understand,” she wrote.
She described her husband as a deeply loved man who had touched many lives through his faith.
“Pastor Steve was a wonderful person, loved by many, and had a great impact on many people through his faith,” she said.
Jeanine also recalled their son Nathaniel singing worship songs as Steve died.
She wrote that Nathaniel described the moment by saying his father “closed his eyes to this life and opened his eyes to Jesus.”
Jeanine said she was comforted by her Christian belief in resurrection and cited 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, which speaks about grieving with hope.
Junker’s obituary said he worked as a pharmacist before feeling called to ministry.
At the time of his death, he had served as pastor of Chippewa Lutheran Church for nearly 10 years.
“Being a minister was among the greatest joys and honors of his life,” the obituary said.
He was remembered for his animated sermons, his willingness to talk about almost any subject and his readiness to help people whenever he could.
The obituary also described him as a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
Junker is survived by his wife, five children and his grandson, Jonah.
“Steve faced life and death with a quiet and unshakable faith, never afraid of what was to come,” the obituary said. “Even in his final moments, his thoughts turned to the church and the people he loved.”
A funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sept. 11 at Chippewa Lutheran Church.