Minnesota pastor dies weeks after Sun Princess pool fall
Steve Junker suffered a severe spinal cord injury during an August cruise in Italian waters, according to his obituary and multiple reports.
Stephen Duane Junker, a 58-year-old Minnesota pastor and father of five, died on Sept. 4, 2026, weeks after a swimming-pool fall aboard Princess Cruises' Sun Princess, according to his obituary and multiple news reports.
Reports said the incident occurred Aug. 16 while Junker was celebrating his son's wedding aboard the ship in Italian waters. A Minnesota local report said he fell into the pool and nearly drowned. The fall caused a severe spinal cord injury, according to the obituary and reports.
The reviewed reports did not describe how the fall occurred or indicate whether Princess Cruises had commented on the incident. They also did not provide information about where Junker received treatment during the weeks between the fall and his death.
It was not confirmed whether the spinal cord injury, the reported near-drowning or a combination of the two directly caused Junker's death.