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.
Animal lover wins $4 million from lottery scratch-off — and donates to local shelter
Should one win the lotto, how would one proceed? Many of us have grandiose ideas of what we would buy with the money, such as a brand-new automobile or home.
However, one Massachusetts man who loved animals and won millions of dollars from a scratch-off was quick to donate his winnings to animals that were in need.
Paul Riley, a resident of Peabody, Massachusetts, bought an instant ticket game for the Massachusetts State Lottery called “100X Cash” from a nearby retailer. According to a news release, he scraped it off and was shocked to learn he had won the $4 million prize in the game.
Paul, who was described as “an animal lover,” arrived to pick up his reward with his small puppy, Raven:
In response to a question about his future plans, he generously stated that he would be donating a portion of his profits to the Animal Rescue League.
Seeing people give so freely of their riches is always encouraging, especially when it’s done to aid needy animals. Naturally, Paul intends to lavish himself and his family with money as well. He mentioned that he wants to get his wife a new car.
Paul received $2,600,000 as a one-time payment before taxes, according to the press release. The retailer from whence he purchased the fortunate scratch-off, Summit Variety, will also get a bonus of $40,000.
Congratulations to Paul on his incredible lottery victory! We appreciate your decision to donate to support animals in shelters!
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