- Logan McKenna, a Cache County surgeon and actor, died on May 31 from a medical incident after summiting Mt. Denali.
- Intermountain Health and local theaters reached out in support to his family and community.
- His wife, Sarah McKenna spoke about his loyalty to his family, including their two children.
HYDE PARK, Cache County — Logan McKenna was very driven and would go "all in" when he was excited about something, which is evidenced by his wide success as a surgeon, actor and hiker.
The Cache County husband and father died following a medical incident on May 31, just after summiting Mt. Denali in Alaska — the last peak necessary to complete his goal of summiting the highest peak in each U.S. state.
"I'm sure he was very happy about that," his wife, Sarah McKenna, said.
She told KSL that since his death, she has had so many people, including patients she had never heard about due to privacy laws, reach out to her on a public Instagram account to support their family.
"I have been so touched by how many of his patients have found me and left beautiful, wonderful comments about what a good doctor he was, about how he saved their lives, about his comforting, cheerful bedside manner, which doesn't surprise me at all," she said.
'A family man first'
Sarah McKenna said she met Logan McKenna while they were both doing a summer service mission as performing missionaries in Nauvoo, Illinois.
"I heard his singing voice, and I thought that cute guy has the most beautiful singing voice I've ever heard," she said.
Although they weren't allowed to date at the time, they spent time together and were "already in love" when they returned home, getting married soon after.
Sarah McKenna said that when she met her husband, he was working on an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, but he wanted to go into medicine. He decided to become a surgeon after enjoying his surgery rotation, and he applied for and was placed in a general surgery residency.
Their two children joined them while he was out of state, training to be a doctor. Their son, now 17, was born while he was in medical school in Missouri, and their daughter, now 14, was born during his residency in Colorado.
The mother said their daughter will miss how Logan McKenna was silly and joked around with her, and their son will miss doing the things he and his dad both enjoyed together, like cooking, watching the Utah Mammoth and hiking.
Hiking the highest peak in each state was a goal Logan McKenna set with his father and sister, and over the course of more than a decade, they scheduled trips to climb multiple peaks on the East Coast or to backpack to one that was harder to reach. Sarah McKenna said her husband spent most weekends hiking with his dad and son, especially in his favorite area, the Wellsville Mountains in Cache Valley.
Although work-life balance was hard while in medical school and working as a surgeon, Sarah McKenna said that as soon as her husband got home, his focus turned to his family. She said their kids would hear him whistling before he entered the door and he'd come in with a big smile.
"He was very, very much a family man first and a doctor second," she said.
The family returned to Cache Valley once Logan McKenna completed his degrees, and he worked as a general surgeon and the trauma director at Intermountain Health Logan Regional Hospital.
A statement from Intermountain Health said the company is supporting his family and coworkers while celebrating his life and legacy.
"We are saddened by the loss of Dr. Logan McKenna, who was a terrific doctor and person who served the community that he loved with care and compassion," Intermountain Health said.
'A leading man'
Although he loved his job, Sarah McKenna said they were also grateful that his co-workers helped rearrange his on-call schedule so he could participate in local plays, primarily at Music Theatre West. Sometimes the couple could participate in a play together.
Some of the roles that were his favorite were Don Lockwood in "Singing in the Rain," Carl Hamratiy in the musical version of "Catch Me if You Can" and the evil dentist in "Little Shop of Horrors," Sarah McKenna said.
"He had the voice and the charisma of a leading man."
Although it was a sacrifice, she said acting made Logan McKenna "really, really happy," and the family would support as many performances as they could.
Music Theatre West posted on June 1 that it was saddened to hear of the sudden passing of a man who was a "cherished part" of the community. It said his "talent, kindness, and joy touched everyone fortunate enough to share the stage with him."
"Thank you for sharing your talent, laughter, and light with our stage and our hearts. The show goes on, but you will always be part of our story," the theater company said.
The Cache Theater Company dedicated one of their performances last week of "The Hello Girls" to Logan McKenna, who they said was a "beloved member of the Cache Valley arts community whose impact reached far beyond any single stage."
"Our thoughts are with his family, friends, fellow performers, colleagues, patients and all who knew and loved him. We are grateful for the legacy he leaves behind and the many lives he made brighter," they said.
