Piedmont’s April First Friday Hero recognition is being posthumously awarded to Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class and Lee County Deputy Kevin Hagberg. His wife, Jennifer, will accept the award.
Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class and Lee County Deputy Kevin Hagberg served our nation in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Afghanistan. He then worked for the Russell County Sheriff’s Office and most recently at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
The 55-year-old suffered multiple strokes at the end of 2025. With the support of his wife, Jennifer, Deputy Hagberg became an organ donor— continuing his legacy of service to his country and community. Hospital staff, family and local law enforcement lined the hallways at Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown on January 8 for an honor walk to pay their respects.
We are gathering once again, during National Donate Life Month, to honor Deputy Hagberg and bring awareness to the importance of organ donation. The need for organ donors is critical with over 100,000 people in the United States on the transplant waiting list. According to the LifeLink Foundation, one donor can save up to eight lives. Go to LifeLinkFoundation.org for more information on organ donation.
Piedmont Columbus Regional created the First Friday Hero program in 2016 to recognize first responders and everyday heroes each month who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. Their line of work is often a thankless job, and we want to make the community aware of what our local heroes do to make the communities we serve a better, safer place.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office will host a ceremony honoring the life and legacy of the Army veteran and sheriff’s deputy plus raising awareness of the importance of organ donation— this hero’s final act of service. The ceremony for Deputy Hagberg is scheduled for April 13, 2026 at the sheriff’s office in Opelika, AL.
