Donations Pour In After Death Of Retired MoCo SWAT Sergeant

GAITHERSBURG, MD — A GoFundMe page set up for a former Montgomery County police sergeant who died unexpectedly in Virginia on Friday has already raised more than $30,500.

Retired Sgt. Kendrick Stephens, 47, of Delray Beach, Florida, died on Aug. 9 — a week after he suffered a medical episode while teaching a class in Richmond, Virginia. According to the online fundraiser, Stephens broke his skull and suffered significant bleeding in his brain.

On Aug. 2, the day of the incident, Stephens was rushed to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in critical condition. He was later put on life support.

"Many people reached out to ask how they can help," the fundraiser's organizer, Jamee Kriegstein, wrote on the GoFundMe page. "His wife Kathleen Stephens who has been by his side since the tragic accident is going to need help with medical expenses, lodging, transportation and much more as times goes on."

As of Aug. 15, 236 donors have contributed to the fundraiser, exceeding the $30,000 goal.

"The Man saved my son's life by simply believing in him," Linda Dillon, who donated $1,000, wrote on GoFundMe.

Discovery Inc. made a $7,500 donation to the page, GoFundMe records show.

According to his LinkedIn page, Stephens took part in more than 2,000 S.W.A.T. operations, including the September 2010 hostage situation at Discovery Communications in Silver Spring.

During that operation, Stephens helped take down the gunman and free all three hostages.

Stephens retired from the force three years later and relocated to Florida. From there, he founded a self-defense program for women and a tactical training program for law enforcement officials, according to his LinkedIn page.