Morgan Hill resident and Gavilan College trustee Mike Davenport, who suffered a severe head injury when he fell off the roof of his motor home nearly two weeks ago, died as a result of his injuries at San Jose Regional Medical Center today.
Davenport’s family members and friends reported his death about 4 p.m. He has been in a medically induced coma since the Feb. 20 accident, and today Davenport’s family decided to take him off life support.
Not only those who knew him, but the entire community of Morgan Hill will miss Davenport, 46, who will be remembered for his generous and giving nature, and his vast skills and talents, according to his friend and business partner Jeff Burrus.
“We are all greatly saddened,” Burrus said. “Morgan Hill will be a lesser place without Mike Davenport. He was the true ‘renaissance’ person of this age, not only as a Navy pilot but as a business person and community contributor. He touched many, many lives and will be remembered for his deeds and actions.”
X-ray and CT scan images taken while Davenport remained on life support showed damage to his brain stem, Burrus reported last week.
Davenport’s doctors will keep his body “viable for organ donations for as long as is necessary,” Burrus said. It is expected that up to 10 of his organs can be saved and donated to individuals in need, and up to 70 people will benefit from his organs and tissue transplants.
“In death, Mike continues to make a contribution. What a man!” Burrus said by e-mail at 4:20 p.m.
Davenport was a trustee on Gavilan College’s board of trustees starting in 2008. Before that, his civic involvement included service as a Morgan Hill planning commissioner.
He fell from the top of his RV the afternoon of Feb. 20 while he was gassing up at the Chevron station on Cochrane Road, according to Gavilan College board of trustees president Laura Perry.
He was transported to San Jose Regional Medical Center by ambulance with a head injury, Perry said.
Davenport had two daughters who are home-schooled in Morgan Hill.
He was president and CEO of the Morgan Hill Cigar Co., of which he was also a partner along with Burrus. He was also a member of the Morgan Hill Rotary Club.
His full-time day job was as a manager at Cisco Systems, but Davenport was also the owner or partner of other small businesses in northern California.
