Donna Fagersten had taken refuge at a friend’s home on the top floor as Hurricane Helene tore through northern Florida, leaving a devastating trail of destruction and more than 100 casualties in the southeastern U.S.
As the storm appeared to calm, the 66-year-old teacher, just days away from her retirement, made a fateful choice to return home to rescue her cat.
When Hurricane Helene hit Florida on September 26, 2024, around 11 p.m., the Category 4 storm triggered flash floods, forcing residents to scramble for safety. One of the hardest-hit areas was Pinellas County, particularly in the Tampa Bay region, where at least 11 people lost their lives.
Among the victims was Donna Fagersten, a second-grade teacher from Ponce De Leon Elementary in Pinellas County.
According to her best friend Heather Anne Boles, Donna was set to retire the following week after dedicating 35 years to teaching. When the storm hit, Donna sought shelter with Boles and her partner, Mike Moran. As the storm surge rushed in, they retreated to the third floor of Boles’ mother’s home, across from the beach where Donna lived.
Boles recalled that as the storm seemed to settle, Donna insisted on going home to check on her cat, despite Boles’ pleas to stay. Tragically, another surge and high winds returned, battering the coastline.
A neighbor later came to their shelter, reporting that someone had been found floating in the parking garage. They quickly pulled Donna from the water and began CPR, but despite their efforts and the arrival of fire rescue by boat, they were unable to revive her.
Detectives later confirmed that Donna had drowned in her home, which had been flooded with water.
Family and friends have since remembered Donna as a “beautiful person” who was deeply committed to her students and community. In a Facebook post, Mary Gleason Lyons, a colleague and friend, described Donna as a dedicated teacher with a big heart, touching the lives of many students over her 35-year career.
Online tributes poured in, with former students and friends expressing their sadness at her passing and remembering her kindness and warmth.
While Boles and Moran are now left to clean up after the floods, which destroyed most of their belongings, the loss of their best friend is what hurts the most. “This is the worst we have ever seen,” Boles said, reflecting on the storm’s destruction compared to Hurricane Irma, where they managed to keep their home and belongings intact.
On a positive note, Donna’s cat survived, and her friends are working to find him a new home.
Hurricane Helene, which cut a destructive 800-mile path northward, left more than 2 million homes without power and claimed over 100 lives, according to USA Today.
This Retired Icon Was One of the Sexiest Women of the 20th Century, Secretly Married, & Disappeared for Years
On her 89th birthday, French legend Brigitte Bardot was spotted for the first time in a long time.
The celebrity has been with her loving husband for 31 years, and he never leaves her side.
News outlets claim that the movie star, who experienced a health crisis earlier this year, got married in secret to her husband.
As the entertainment industry’s “it” girl for eternity, Brigitte Bardot, a French superstar, led a colorful existence. Her famous roles in multiple silver screen productions have earned her recognition and admiration.
The French blonde beauty topped the list of the prettiest female stars of the 20th century thanks to Playboy, which is well-known for its features and displays of gorgeous famous ladies. She is even considered the greatest “It” girl of all time by other media sources.
Brigitte ranks fourth on Playboy’s list of the sexiest female stars, but aside from her attractive appearance, she’s also well-known for her pouty lips. She was also named the most watched star in her native nation due to her seductive charisma and sexy confidence.
Brigitte has established a reputation as a passionate animal rights activist in addition to her achievements as an actor and general performer. Regarding her personal life, the well-liked celebrity, also known by her stage as BB, has been married to Bernard d’Ormale for 31 years and has a single child.
Few friends joined the couple for their special day as they secretly tied the wedding in August 1992, according to media agencies. Since then, the couple has been happy together. When Brigitte and Bernard got married unexpectedly and covertly, acquaintances of the “Contempt” star said to a news outlet that she was happiest than she had been in a long time.
Remarkably, Brigitte’s acquaintances had doubted that she would marry again after her previous spouse died. This was before the two got married. Nevertheless, the couple was married in a charming little wooden chapel in Norway and shared Brigitte’s opulent ten-bedroom house in Saint-Tropez.
Bernard has been Brigitte’s support system since their first meeting, notably throughout her health crises. Brigitte’s hero instantly calmed the extremely alarmed people when it was initially revealed in French media that their much-loved star had supposedly overdosed on sedatives in 1992 while at home by explaining:
Brigitte was so exhausted that she overindulged in medicine in an attempt to fall asleep.She was OK after a few hours and did not have her stomach pumped.
Brigitte’s condition was further verified by a representative of the clinic where she was brought, confirming Bernard’s claim. But Brigitte had to deal with another health issue years after her sedative fright.
Bernard verified that Brigitte had trouble breathing earlier this year. Fortunately, emergency responders saw to it right away, giving her oxygen and staying with her to make sure she was okay.
Bernard attributed his wife’s respiratory issues on aging and weather-related factors, mentioning a severe heatwave that was at the time affecting most of Europe. It seemed that their La Madrague home’s air conditioning system was not operating at its best.
A news outlet had claimed that Brigitte had remained in the intensive care unit (ICU) despite assurances to the public to the contrary. But the “A Very Private Affair” star corrected the record in a handwritten note:
“I would like to reassure everyone.” I am doing excellently. I was sick, and the press made a big deal out of it.
The beloved figure was recently observed out and about in an unusual appearance. Earlier this year, the icon suffered respiratory issues. Brigitte was photographed by paparazzi enjoying a drive in the South of France on her 89th birthday.
From her La Madrague house to her La Garigue residence, the actress was spotted traveling in a tiny white van. Only a few stray strands of her renowned blond hair framed her face because it was fastened back. She was also wearing large sunglasses to protect her eyes from the sun.
A few months after emergency personnel arrived at Brigitte’s house to help her with her respiratory problems and several years after she was last spotted in public, the uncommon outing occurs.
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