Golden Valley Pastor Partially Paralyzed After Icy Fall

A Golden Valley church pastor is attempting to recover from a devastating accident that left him partially paralyzed. Pastor David Kent of Christian Life Center in Golden Valley and Brooklyn Park slipped and fell on icy pavement on Dec. 16.

“We have a small hill that comes into our [Golden Valley] parking lot, and when I was walking down the hill, I slipped on the ice,” explained Pastor Kent. “I couldn’t move at all.”

The 64-year-old religious leader broke his neck. He was transported to North Memorial Health Hospital, where doctors operated on his spine. He now has partial paralysis in his arms and legs.

Pastor Kent works on rehab after being partially paralyzed.

Golden Valley Pastor Optimistic About Recovery

It’s going to be a long and very expensive recovery. Pastor Kent has self-pay health insurance, which results in paying most of the costs himself.

“The problem was I’m trying to save money for the church to be able to pay our bills,” said Pastor Kent.

A GoFundMe has now been set up to help with medical bills.

“They’re impacting us greatly. They’re starting to come in, some of them already, and we’ve been told that we will need $350,000 upfront just to get him into rehab,” said Susan Kent, David’s wife.

The longtime New Hope resident is trying not to let the situation get him down. From his hospital bed, he smiles and cheers on his favorite football team, the Vikings.

“I’m an optimist. So, I always believe the Vikings are going to win, even when they don’t always come through,” said Kent.

Pastor Kent says he’s leaning on his faith to get through this challenging journey.

“I serve a mighty big God. He’s able to do exceeding, abundantly, above all that we’re able to ask. So, I have total faith. My God is a healer.”

Also See: Maple Grove Church Pays Off Medical Debt for Families

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