Minnesota pastor dies after Sun Princess pool accident in Italy
Steve Junker suffered a severe spinal cord injury and nearly drowned after being found unresponsive in a shipboard pool, according to the report.
Minnesota pastor Steve Junker, 54, died after an August 16 accident aboard Sun Princess in Italy while celebrating his son’s wedding. The report says Junker fell into a pool and was later discovered face down and unresponsive.
A GoFundMe page established by Junker’s family said ship personnel immediately provided medical assistance. He was then taken to a hospital in Naples, where hospital reports described his condition as life-threatening and said he needed emergency spinal surgery the following day.
After his initial treatment in Italy, Junker was transferred by the Italian Coast Guard to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, on August 23 for further care. He died on September 4 with family members at his side.
Princess Cruises issued a statement expressing sadness over Junker’s death and offering condolences to his family and loved ones. According to the report, the cruise line also said its team responded rapidly to the emergency.