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.
Log cabin on 15 acres in the North Carolina mountains، Circa 1798. $249,000
This is very fantastic! Pleasant neighborhood near Boone! This cabin was built in 1798! It is located on 15 acres near Creston, North Carolina.
The home features a covered front porch, a stone fireplace, stacked stone chimney, hardwood floors, and a loft area. The property has two ponds, a creek, a barn, and a storage building. 1,360 square feet with two bedrooms and one bathroom. $249,00
Obtain ownership of a unique piece of Appalachian heritage! This 15-acre log cabin was built in 1798 and features two bedrooms and one bathroom. Maybe it’s the oldest cabin in High County that’s still in use! With its enormous stone fireplace and chimney with gas logs, hand-hewn 2-foot-wide logs, refurbished, spacious kitchen and laundry area, and hardwood floors throughout, this cabin is beautiful.
Unexpected events have delayed interior renovations, which include new lights, wiring, tongue and groove walls, and a sliding barn door.
This property has 1500 feet of concrete road frontage, two ponds, a creek, and a 16 by 20 storage building. There are multiple building sites with views spread out throughout the acres.
This area, on the North Fork of the New River, offers some of the best trout fishing in North Carolina. Mountain City, Tennessee, is 15 minutes distant, and Boone and West Jefferson are 30 minutes away. With a few updates and changes, this may become your ideal house!
A unique home and property with loads of possibilities!
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