Kent Watanabe has spent much of his time helping others and encouraging young athletes in their sports careers.

He has been a friend to many.

Now, friends of Watanabe, the father of the late Northwood baseball standout Jourdan Watanabe, are trying to return the favor.

Many remember Kent Watanabe as a coach for Irvine Pony Baseball.

When his son went to Northwood High, he and his wife, Anne, were two of the biggest boosters of the baseball program. The couple has lived in Irvine for 27 years.

Now, more than a year after dealing with the death of his son in February of 2009, Kent Watanabe is facing another challenge.

Watanabe, 56, fainted while hosting a trunk show in the shoe department at the Nordstroms in Portland.

It was discovered that Watanabe had an aneurysm that burst in his brain, requiring emergency surgery, according to long-time friend Ed Trgovac.

For a few days, he was in the intensive care unit but now Watanabe is improving. He was moved out of the unit on Monday.

"You could say he's still in serious but stable condition," said Trgovac, who has known Watanabe about 12 years.

However, it's not known how long Watanabe will have to remain in the Portland hospital and his wife, Anne has flown there to be with her husband.

"He could be there a month," Trgovac said. "The first 14 days are critical; once he gets past that he should be on the road to recovery."

With both Kent and Anne taking time off from work, medical bills are piling up and the day to day bills have to be paid as well, Trgovac said. In addition, there are costs involved to cover Anne's temporary housing in Portland.

So Trgovac has been rallying Watanabe's friends, asking for donations to help the family out during this challenging time. So far, friends have donated about $5,000.

Trgovac has been calling Watanabe every day and trying to provide support for the family, including the Watanabe's other son, Lee.

"I know he would do it for me, he would do it for anybody," Trgovac said. "It's unbelievable how many people are pulling for him."

Many are expected to attend a fund-raiser for Watanabe on Saturday, June 19, at Lamppost Pizza in Irvine at the corner of Culver and Walnut. Fifty percent of the sales that day will go toward Watanabe and there will be a silent auction beginning at 6 p.m. with memorabilia auctioned off, Trgovac said.

Trgovac knows Watanabe well. The two played adult softball together in Irvine, then Trgovac coached Watanabe's son, Jourdan for three years on the youth level.

Jourdan Watanabe, a 2007 graduate of Northwood High, was a star catcher and popular leader on the baseball team for four years. Watanabe also played at Orange Coast College.

Watanabe, age 20, died several hours after police found him injured and bleeding inside an Irvine business in late February 2009.

In a ceremony for Watanabe at Northwood High in March of 2009, Watanabe's father, Kent, fired a pitch to his oldest son, Lee, then raised his hands and yelled, "That was for you, Jourdie."

"He's been hanging in there, of course it's been hard," Trgovac said of the loss of Watanabe's son.

The Northwood community is doing all to make sure that Watanabe makes it through his latest challenge.

"Kent has always been there for the kids," said Dick Owens, father of another former baseball player, Ben Owens. 'He and Annie have always opened their home to players throughout Irvine and Orange County. He has never been about his sons but about the other players."

More information on the Watanabe fund is available by contacting Trgovac at etrgovac@cox.net.