BOISE, Idaho — An Idaho mother and her four children are mourning the unexpected loss of their husband and father after he went to the hospital this month for what he thought was simple knee pain.
Zach Hansen figured he had some kind of infection in his knee when he went to the emergency room on Aug. 7 to get medical care. But by the end of the day, doctors quickly diagnosed the 39-year-old BYU graduate with leukemia.
Shockingly, the cancer progressed rapidly and Hansen died just three days later.
"I think that he knew, he just had a feeling because he kind of gives a farewell speech even though it was the first day, like, but we had the diagnosis," recalled Hansen's wife Natalie. "And he said, my only worry is for you and the kids, like, I'm okay."
The Hansen's had been married for 16 years and had four children ages 13, 12, 9 and 8.
Natalie said her husband had been to urgent care the week before going to the hospital because he wasn't feeling well. Doctors there checked him out and gave him antibiotics, which he told his wife didn't work.
While on a camping trip with two of his sons, Zach's knee began hurting, forcing him to leave earlier than scheduled.
"I don't know if I slept on [the knee] weird or I banged it," he told Natalie after the trip.
On Aug. 7, the day of his son's birthday, Hansen was in so much pain, Natalie said it was difficult for him to stand up or bend his knee. The Hansen's went to a orthopedic urgent care center and then the emergency room of a local hospital where he was told to he needed to stay overnight.
Natalie said Zach originally kept the diagnosis to himself that day so it wouldn't ruin his son's birthday celebration.
Doctors originally offered a good prognosis for Hansen, but Natalie said things started to go "downhill" two days later. On Wednesday, the Hansen's were told he needed to start aggressive treatment and that's when Zach shared his heartfelt message with his wife.
By Wednesday night, Zach's body began to shut down and he was sent to the ICU. During that period the medical team was forced to resuscitate him after three Code Blues were called.
"One of the doctors said it was the worst case that he's seen in his 25 years in his career," said Natalie.
Members of Hansen's family have started a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses.
"There have been so many tender mercies and evidence of God's hand in their lives that have helped prepare them without realizing it. The faith in the family is strong, though there is much sorrow after losing him so soon," the page reads.
