An Orem firefighter has been in a coma since suffering a stroke at his fire station earlier this month, according to The Deseret News.
Firefighter/Paramedic Michael Stentzel had just completed a daily exercise run his colleagues Station No. 1 on Nov. 2 when he became unresponsive.
He was transported to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with an intracranial hemorrhagic stroke and underwent two-and-a-half hours of surgery.
Now friends and family are waiting and hoping that he can make it out of the coma OK.
"It's completely unexpected," Paramedic Brad Willis, a longtime friend of Stentzel's, told the newspaper. "He could out-hike me any day of the week. He's in good shape."
Stentzel's wife, Kelsae -- who is due to give birth to their first child early next year -- says she is wearing her husband's wedding ring around neck ad can't wait to be able to put it back on his finger.
She told the newspaper that she has appreciated the support of firefighters who have made frequent visits since the incident occurred.
"They say they're bugging us, but it's been really nice having them there," she said. "We miss him. We're excited for him to come back and wake up one of these days."
Stentzel is a 15-year fire service veteran and has been with the Orem Fire Department for about five years.
