On January 17, Kent was found unresponsive by his wife, Sonja, in their Ogden home. Paramedics responded within a few minutes and Kent was rushed to the McKay Dee Emergency Room. The doctors informed the Jorgenson family that Kent had suffered a stroke in multiple high-risk areas of the brain, including the cerebellum and brain stem, which often results in a very grim prognosis. After being transferred to the ICU, Kent made great progress from the initial stroke and was in the process of being moved to an intermediate care unit when nurses found him once again unresponsive. After another scan, they found Kent had had a brain bleed, and was quickly intubated and the medical team saved his life a second time.

Kent’s condition is very serious. He is still in the ICU, with the hope to be moved to intermediate care in the next month. Due to Kent’s condition and the long journey ahead, Kent will officially lose his job in a few weeks and medical benefits from his employer will stop at the end of April. Beginning in May, benefits will need to be covered with Cobra.

A note from Sonja, Kent’s wife:

“No one ever thinks something like this will happen to them or someone they love. When the ambulance left the house Friday morning, my first thought was to call two loyal friends from church to give Kent a blessing. These two have been given priesthood power to bless in God’s name. Our friends laid their hands on Kent’s head and told him his work on this earth was not done and that he would make a complete recovery. We’re in for a long journey, but we’re holding on to the blessing Kent received and believe that the words spoken are God’s will. But there are good and bad days, and progress is very slow. At times we are a little discouraged and fear creeps in, but your faith and prayers keep us going. Our daughter, Alexa, has been planning to be married in August and attending that wedding is a goal that will give Kent something to look forward to.

I’ll try to share our journey on the updates section of this page.”

- Sonja Jorgenson

Kent loves people and is fueled by service to others. As a long-time Rotary member (a worldwide organization that provides humanitarian service), he has led many humanitarian projects, including taking his daughter, Alexa, to Ghana, Africa, where they worked with Weber State Respiratory professors and students to host a temporary clinic. Kent later helped transport an ambulance to Ghana. He and his wife, Sonja, lived in Ecuador for six months, where Kent helped bring a dental team to treat children and worked with local Rotary members to build a women’s clinic. Most recently, Kent traveled to Uganda to help complete several clean water projects.

Over the years, Kent and Sonja have hosted and mentored dozens of exchange students, staying closely connected with them. Kent cheers like a proud father with each exchange student’s accomplishments. Kent loves traveling, chatting with friends, riding his motorcycle, and spending time with his family. We hope he can continue doing the things he loves.

Kent’s time in the hospital/ICU is currently undetermined, and with medical bills, rehabilitation, and lack of employment, we want to help Sonja with the financial assistance she needs so she can focus on caring for Kent during his recovery. Please contribute what you can and share this page with others who would be interested in assisting the family.

If you would like to donate via Venmo instead of sending via Go Fund Me, you can send to @alexa-jorgenson