Stephen Duane Junker, a 58-year-old pastor from Minnesota, United States, died after falling into the pool of the cruise ship Sun Princess, operated by Princess Cruises, during a wedding celebration for one of his sons. The accident occurred on August 16, off the coast of Italy.
Junker was found unconscious and face-down at the bottom of the pool. He was removed from the water and transported by the Italian Coast Guard to a hospital in Naples. The exact circumstances of the fall were not clarified.
The pastor remained hospitalized for weeks at the Italian hospital. Doctors identified a severe spinal cord compression and performed emergency surgery. Junker was diagnosed with quadriplegia and required mechanical ventilation, unable to breathe on his own.
On August 23, Junker was transported back to Rochester, Minnesota. The family created a GoFundMe campaign to help cover treatment costs.
