ABOVE: Jolynn and Kent Janssen stand in the gym at Trimont Elementary School with an AED they’re donating to the Fairmont Armory, through the Karson Kent Janssen Memorial, ahead of the upcoming gymnastics season for the Martin County Magic.

TRIMONT– After losing their son Karson unexpectedly in 2021, Jolynn and Kent Janssen have worked hard to not only honor him but raise awareness of the importance to check for undetected heart conditions. Recently, through the Karson Kent Janssen Memorial, an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) was donated to the Fairmont Armory which will be ready for use for the upcoming Martin County Area Magic gymnastics season.

“We have donated four AEDs,” said Jolynn. “To the (MCW) high school weight room, Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity House up in the cities, the Fox Lake Event Center in Sherburn and now the Martin County Area Magic at the Armory.”

Sherburn Elementary School Principal and Martin County West Community and Education Director (CER), Nickole Bowie, said that the AED will be in a case that’s mounted to the wall and there will be a plaque to go with it. It should all be installed this week.

Jolynn added that when the door is opened an alarm is sounded to raise awareness that something is wrong.

In addition to donating AEDs, the Memorial has put on a large number of screenings, in partnership with Screening America, to check for undetected heart disease in young adults.

ABOVE: A sign, with Karson’s senior picture, that’s put up during screenings that check for heart issues, which are funded the Karson Kent Janssen Memorial.

Karson, an MCW graduate, was a sophomore at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities when he died suddenly from undetected myxomatous degeneration of the heart. He was 19 at the time.

“To date we’ve done 351 screenings in the area,” Jolynn said.

The screenings started in the spring of 2023. Kent explained why it’s important to them to keep putting them on.

“Because we lost Karson so unexpectedly– he was someone who exemplified everything that someone would want in a son or daughter as far as participation and honesty and just being a friendly individual and in seemingly good health. We know first-hand that it can happen without the slightest knowledge and we pray and ask everyday why he didn’t get a warning. You don’t always get a warning,” Kent said.

Because of that, the lack of warning, Kent said it’s important for them to hold the screenings for other young adults to get checked out.

“You can assume at 19 years old, or 15 years old or even 29 years old, that if you feel okay, everything must be okay. When something like this can be offered with our partnership with Screening America, we just want to get as many people screened as possible,” Kent said.

He said with the Memorial, one of their main focuses is heart health awareness.

Jolynn added that they just recently got a letter from a community member who said their daughter was recently screened and an issue was detected.

“They went to a cardiologist and they were told it was common but at least now they’re aware and can keep an eye out,” Jolynn said.

She pointed out that regular sports physicals, which are done very few years, do not indulge a heart screening.

ABOVE: Martin County West student Allison Clarke gets her blood pressure taken at the high school in Sherburn on Oct. 27. The event was sponsored by the Karson Kent Janssen Memorial. Submitted photo.

“I asked the lady from Screening America, Roxy, who runs it, if Karson would have gotten this screening would they have found this problem and she said ‘absolutely.’ If we can catch even one, it’s worth it,” Jolynn said.

Kent said that something like a blood pressure check isn’t common for a 16 year old, but he said in today’s world, people likely get a lot less physical activity and Jolynn added that there are probably more stressors out there now, too.

Along with the AEDs and screenings, there have been CPR classes, funded by the Memorial and offered through CER. The Karson Kent Janssen Memorial also gives away a scholarship and to date $112,000 has been given away.

“Finally there’s Be Nice, Be Neat, Be Humble activities that we see fit and that can be a number of things,” Kent said.

Donations have been given to area food shelves and to Toys for Tots in the past.

As for how all of these items, such as AEDs, and programs are funded for, Kent said, “We established the Karson Kent Janssen Memorial, a 501(c)3, and we take donations but the main fundraiser is the Hoops for Hearts event in February.”

This coming year it will be on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. With that clothing is sold, food for concessions and then there’s a silent auction.

“It’s quite amazing, the community as a whole, they participate to a tremendous degree. It’s incredibly humbling, the amount of dollars that are raised that night and it’s all given away,” Kent said.

Bowie said that the school district has been happy to both attend and host events and offer support where they can.

Speaking to the recent gift of the AED, Bowie said, “We appreciate it. We wouldn’t have it if they weren’t doing their work.”

And speaking to what all of the gifts and events are for, Kent said, “it’s all in memory of Karson and we pray that no one forgets Karson.”