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.
My Ex-husband’s New Wife Unexpectedly Contacted Me – What She Wrote Made Me Go Pale
When my spouse, Kevin, unintentionally contacted me instead of his lover five years ago, my entire world crumbled. Jess, I detest her. With all of my being, I detest Bridget. Not even a baby can be born to her.” It broke my heart to know he was unfaithful and felt sorry for me since I couldn’t conceive.
After our divorce, I got a big settlement that included a stake in his business. Kevin wed Jessica, the person he had an affair with, shortly after. I ignored any news about them and moved on until Jessica reached out to me a month ago, looking for help and afraid.
“I told him to get rid of it, but Kevin doesn’t want the baby,” she revealed. He lost too much money in the divorce.
I made the decision to assist her despite our past. I took Kevin to court and proposed that she live into my lake house. A letter disclosing his requests and cautioning him against harassment was drafted by my attorney.
Kevin’s demise was brought about by our discovery of financial malfeasance in his organization. Jessica made the decision to keep the baby, and we became friends in the meanwhile.
Knowing that justice had been done and Kevin had to pay for his acts, this ordeal gave me closure. Karma only requires a small prod from time to time.
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