By Tim Engstrom, staff writer

Friends and family of the trucker who died Monday when his semitrailer crashed into a bridge that crosses Interstate 90 said they know fatigue did not cause the wreck.

A sudden stroke &8212; or some form of medical complications &8212; more likely caused driver Mark Kanis, 48, to lose control of his big rig, said longtime friend and fellow trucker Jerry Wiggins.

&8220;Fatigue played no part of this,&8221; Wiggins said.

Wiggins and his wife, Amanda, live next to Mark and his wife, Cindy, in Wyoming, Mich. Wiggins works for the same trucking company, ALTL Inc. Wiggins described Mark as a best friend and brother. He said he spoke with Mark 20 to 25 minutes before the collision via Nextel two-way phones. He said trucker like them because they can talk without holding the phones.

Mark, who was hauling furniture to Sioux Falls, S.D., was a safe driver who was looked up to by rookies, Wiggins said.

Mark told Wiggins he wasn&8217;t feeling good, &8220;like a train hit him in the chest.&8221;

He told Mark to see a doctor; Mark replied he would in Sioux Falls.

Cindy Kanis, 50, said she spoke with Mark via the two-way minutes before the collision. She said Mark described being about 160 miles from Sioux Falls. The wreck happened at mile marker 153, which is 153 miles from the South Dakota border. Sioux Falls is 12 miles into South Dakota.

The visitation for Mark Kanis is Friday and the funeral is set for Saturday. His parents are Gary

and Lavonne Kanis of Newaygo, Mich. His sister, Sharon Smith, lives in Grand Rapids, Mich. He is survived by two sons, one daughter, a step-son, a step-daughter and a step-grandson.

Cindy and Mark married on Aug. 12, 2005. Cindy, a nurse&8217;s aid, said Mark enjoyed home improvement and had a good sense of humor about life. He trucked from coast to coast and always enjoyed going through Colorado, she said.

&8220;He was the Energizer Bunny,&8221; she said.

She said he was active in his church, even once donating his entire bonus pay to the church. She sometimes joined him on his travels, most recently visiting Nebraska, she said.

&8220;I&8217;ve known him for 22 years,&8221; said Mark&8217;s cousin Pat Collins of Grant, Mich., &8220;and I&8217;ve never seen him happier than when he was with Cindy.&8221;

Wiggins said Mark was laidback but the first one to get up and do work. He said he enjoyed barbecue, NASCAR and working with his hands. Wiggins said he will finish Mark&8217;s home-improvement projects for Cindy.

&8220;He went to any length to be not just the word of God but to be one of God&8217;s helpers,&8221; Wiggins said.

Wiggins said he has told the Minnesota State Patrol about his conversation with Mark Kanis. The Tribune&8217;s attempts Wednesday to seek comment from the State Patrol on the status of the investigation were unsuccessful.