Florida Teacher Killed by Hurricane Helene – Tragic Final Moments Revealed

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.

I Introduced My 5-Year-Old Daughter to the Man I’ve Been Dating – She Screamed When She First Saw Him

When Jessica introduced her daughter Emma to her boyfriend Alex, she expected a warm welcome. Instead, Emma screamed in terror, convinced by her father’s warnings that Alex was a threat who would take her away forever.

I never imagined it would turn out this way. The sound of my daughter, Emma, screaming for help still rings in my ears. It was supposed to be a happy day, the day I introduced her to Alex, the man I’d been dating for over a year. But instead, it was a disaster.

Woman with tears in her eyes | Source: Pexels

Woman with tears in her eyes | Source: Pexels

Alex and I met at a charity event. He was charming and kind, always ready with a smile or a joke. We clicked immediately, and our relationship grew strong. We were serious, and I knew it was time for him to meet the most important person in my life – my daughter.

But I was scared. My divorce from Tom, Emma’s father, had been rough, and I worried about how she’d react to a new man in our lives.

Sad Emma with her bear | Source: Midjourney

Sad Emma with her bear | Source: Midjourney

Tom and I had shared custody of Emma. He usually babysat when I was out with Alex. Tom had already met Alex a few times and didn’t seem to have any problems with him. Or so I thought.

I spent days planning the perfect introduction. I made Emma’s favorite brunch – pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream. I even bought a new dress, wanting everything to be perfect. Alex arrived right on time, holding a gift and wearing his most welcoming smile.

“Hey, Alex, come on in,” I greeted him, my voice shaking slightly.

Man in a suit | Source: Pexels

Man in a suit | Source: Pexels

“Thanks, Jess. I’m excited to finally meet Emma,” Alex said, handing me the gift. “I hope she likes this.”

“She will,” I replied, hoping it was true. “Let me go get her.”

I walked to the bottom of the stairs and called out, “Emma, sweetheart, can you come down here for a moment? There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Happy woman with a broad smile | Source: Pexels

Happy woman with a broad smile | Source: Pexels

I heard the sound of little feet running down the stairs. But as soon as she saw Alex, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her face went pale, and she looked terrified.

“No! Mommy, please, no!” Emma screamed, tears streaming down her face. She ran to me, hiding behind my legs. “Don’t let him take me! Please, Mommy!”

I was stunned. Alex looked as confused as I felt. I knelt down to Emma’s level, trying to calm her down.

Scared Emma | Source: Midjourney

Scared Emma | Source: Midjourney

“Emma, honey, it’s okay. This is Alex. He’s a friend,” I said softly, stroking her hair.

“No! He’s bad! He will take me away! I don’t want to go!” she sobbed, clinging to me tightly.

“Why do you think he’ll take you away?” I asked, my heart breaking at her fear.

“Daddy said he will! Daddy showed me pictures and told me to run if I ever see him!” Emma cried.

Shocked woman | Source: Pexels

Shocked woman | Source: Pexels

I felt a surge of anger and confusion. Tom had done this? Why would he scare her like that?

Alex knelt down beside me, his face full of concern. “Emma, I’m not going to take you away. I promise. I just want to be your friend,” he said gently.

Emma didn’t respond. She just cried and held on to me tighter. I stood up, holding her in my arms, and turned to Alex.

Jess hugs Emma | Source: Midjourney

Jess hugs Emma | Source: Midjourney

“I think we need to figure out what’s going on here,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Yeah, we do,” Alex agreed, looking worried.

I carried Emma to the living room and sat down with her on my lap. Alex sat across from us, keeping his distance so as not to scare her further.

“Emma, can you tell me exactly what Daddy said?” I asked softly.

Sad man in a chair | Source: Pexels

Sad man in a chair | Source: Pexels

She sniffled and nodded. “Daddy said if I see Alex, he will take you and me away, and we will never see Daddy again. He showed me pictures of Alex and said he’s a bad man.”

I took a deep breath, feeling a mix of anger and sadness. “Emma, Daddy was wrong to say those things. Alex is not a bad man. He’s kind and he cares about us.”

Emma looked at me with wide, scared eyes. “But Daddy said…”

Sad woman sits on the couch | Source: Pexels

Sad woman sits on the couch | Source: Pexels

“I know, sweetheart. But sometimes grown-ups make mistakes. Daddy made a mistake,” I said, trying to reassure her.

Alex leaned forward slightly. “Emma, I promise I would never do anything to hurt you or your mommy. I just want us all to be happy together.”

Alex leans to Emma | Source: Midjourney

Alex leans to Emma | Source: Midjourney

Emma didn’t say anything, but she seemed a little calmer. I knew this was just the beginning of a long process to help her feel safe and secure around Alex. I looked at Alex, who gave me a small, supportive smile. We had a lot of work ahead of us, but I was determined to make this right.

As soon as Emma was settled in her room, I grabbed my phone and dialed Tom’s number, my hands shaking with anger. He answered on the third ring.

Man taps on his phone | Source: Pexels

Man taps on his phone | Source: Pexels

“Jess, what’s up?” he said casually.

“Tom, what on earth did you tell Emma about Alex?” I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady.

“What do you mean?” he replied, feigning ignorance.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Tom. Emma just had a meltdown because she thought Alex was going to take her away. She said you told her that,” I said, my anger rising. I felt tears fill my eyes.

Angry woman talks on her phone | Source: Pexels

Angry woman talks on her phone | Source: Pexels

“Well, maybe I did,” he admitted after a pause. “I don’t trust that guy, Jess. He’s going to take you and Emma away from me.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Tom, that’s not true, and you know it. You had no right to scare her like that. You’ve lost your babysitting privileges until further notice.”

Tom’s voice turned defensive. “Oh, so now I’m the bad guy? I was just looking out for her. What do you know about this Alex guy anyway? What if he’s not who you think he is?”

Angry man on his phone | Source: Pexels

Angry man on his phone | Source: Pexels

“That’s not your decision to make, Tom. Alex and I have been together for over a year. He’s a good man, and he cares about us. You had no right to interfere like that,” I said, trying to keep my frustration in check.

“So, I was right after all. As soon as she met that man, I was cut out of her life,” he snapped.

“No, Tom. You did this to yourself. You manipulated our daughter and filled her with fear. That’s unacceptable,” I replied, my voice shaking with anger.

Woman shouts on the phone in front of her laptop | Source: Pexels

Woman shouts on the phone in front of her laptop | Source: Pexels

Tom sighed, and I could hear the frustration in his voice. “I’m her father, Jess. I have a right to protect her.”

“Protect her from what? A man who’s done nothing but be kind to us? You’re projecting your own insecurities onto Emma, and it’s not fair to her,” I said firmly.

“Fine, maybe I overreacted. But I don’t want to be pushed out of her life,” he said, his tone softening slightly.

Man talks on the phone in his office | Source: Pexels

Man talks on the phone in his office | Source: Pexels

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “Tom, you’re not being pushed out. But you need to understand that what you did was wrong. From now on, every time you see Emma, Alex will be there too. We’re going to work on this together. Emma needs to see that Alex is not a threat.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Finally, Tom spoke, his voice resigned. “Alright, Jess. I’ll play along. But if he does anything to hurt her, you’ll be the one to answer for it.”

Woman talks on her phone in her office | Source: Pexels

Woman talks on her phone in her office | Source: Pexels

“Nothing like that is going to happen, Tom. We’re doing this for Emma’s sake. She needs stability and to know that the adults in her life can get along,” I said, hoping he would understand.

“Okay, fine. I get it. I’ll cooperate,” he muttered, clearly unhappy but accepting.

“Thank you, Tom. This is what’s best for Emma,” I said, feeling a small sense of relief.

“Yeah, whatever. Just… keep me in the loop, alright?” he said before hanging up.

Man in striped shirt talks on the phone | Source: Pexels

Man in striped shirt talks on the phone | Source: Pexels

I ended the call, feeling a mix of anger and sadness. I knew this was going to be tough, but I was determined to make things right for Emma. I returned to the living room, where Alex was waiting, looking concerned.

“How did it go?” he asked.

“It’s going to be a challenge, but we’ll get through it. We’re going to take it one step at a time, and we’ll do it together,” I said, feeling a bit more hopeful.

Man runs with his little daughter | Source: Pexels

Man runs with his little daughter | Source: Pexels

Alex nodded. “I’m with you, Jess. We’ll make this work.”

I smiled, grateful for his support. It wasn’t going to be easy, but with Alex by my side, I knew we could overcome this. We just had to be patient and strong for Emma. The road ahead was uncertain, but we were ready to face it together.

If you liked this story, consider reading this one. Secrets, sleep-talking, and mysterious items are all the things that had me following my daughter when she left the house. I was unaware that where she was going would open up five-year wounds I thought were dead and buried.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

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