Donna Fagersten was safe on the top floor of her friends’ house, watching as Hurricane Helene tore through northern Florida. The storm was wreaking havoc, leaving more than 100 people dead as it ripped across the Southeastern U.S. But as the storm raged, Donna made a decision that would change everything.
The 66-year-old second-grade teacher, just days away from retirement, decided to leave the safety of the shelter to check on her cat.
“When the storm started to calm down,” Donna made the fateful choice, her friends later said.
Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida around 11 p.m. on September 26, 2024. It was a Category 4 storm, one of the strongest, and it caused terrible flash floods, forcing people to flee for their lives. One of the worst areas hit was Pinellas County, in the Tampa Bay region. So far, at least 11 people were confirmed dead in that area alone.
One of those victims was Donna Fagersten.
Donna had lived in Indian Rocks Beach and had spent 35 years as a teacher at Ponce De Leon Elementary School. Her retirement was supposed to start the week of September 30, but now her friends and family were left mourning her loss instead of celebrating her next chapter.
As the storm hit that night, Donna had taken shelter with her best friend, Heather Anne Boles, and Heather’s partner, Mike Moran. They all thought they would ride out the storm together. But as the storm surge came rushing in, the situation quickly became life-threatening.
Water beginning to come over walls off the beach in Indian Shores. Also, as the sheriff said earlier…someone is gonna “win a stupid prize…” #HurricaneHelene pic.twitter.com/jLISw266dt
— Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (@SheriffPinellas) September 26, 2024
“The water came up so fast,” Mike told Fox News. “It maybe had 10 minutes, if that.”
Heather described how they all rushed to the third floor of her mom’s house to get away from the water. “We all went to my mom’s house and got on the third floor when the storm surge rushed in,” Heather explained. Heather’s mother lived just across the street from the beach where Donna had her home.
The storm was terrifying, but after some time, it started to seem like things were calming down. That’s when Donna insisted on going home to check on her cat.
“I begged her to stay,” Heather said. “But Donna wanted to go over and check on her cat.”
Unfortunately, the storm wasn’t done. Another surge of water, with even stronger winds, slammed into the coastline just as Donna tried to return to her house.
That’s when disaster struck.
“We lost 3 trees w/ Irma, but we still had our house, we still had all our belongings & we still had Donna.”
— Kylie Jones Fox 13 (@kyliejonesontv) September 30, 2024
Donna Fagersten is one of 9 in Pinellas Co. who died during #HurricaneHelene. Hear from her best friend who tried to save her life, on @FOX13News at 6.
📸: Meliza Zamora pic.twitter.com/ap2uYpcLYG
A neighbor came rushing into Heather and Mike’s shelter with terrible news. “[He] said he saw somebody floating in the parking garage,” Mike recalled. The neighbor had seen Donna’s body. They quickly pulled her out of the water and up to the stairs. Heather and another friend immediately started CPR, desperate to save Donna’s life.
The floodwaters were so high that even fire rescue crews had to arrive by boat. For almost an hour, they tried to revive Donna, but it was no use.
“There was nothing we could do,” Mike said, his voice full of heartbreak. “Losing one of your best friends is just devastating.”
Later reports from Eye on Tampa Bay confirmed the worst. Detectives found Donna in several inches of water inside her home. It looked like the water had entered her house, and Donna tragically drowned.
Remembering a “Beautiful Soul”
Though the storm took Donna’s life, her memory lives on in the hearts of her friends, family, and community. She wasn’t just a teacher; she was a friend, a kind-hearted soul who made a difference in the lives of so many.
Mary Gleason Lyons, who worked with Donna for over 13 years, shared a heartbreaking message on Facebook to announce Donna’s passing.
“People may have lost a lot this hurricane, but we lost Donna Fagersten, who was a beautiful person, a friend, and a teacher,” Mary wrote. “I worked with Donna for over 13 years, and she has touched the lives of so many students. I am so saddened by this and will miss her. She was dedicated to her students and had such a big heart.”
Others in the community also shared their memories and grief. “I remember her fondly!! So saddened to hear of her passing,” wrote one Facebook user.
Another person shared, “She was one kind-hearted woman, and if you knew her, you would never forget her. Such a beautiful soul to lose from so many people. God Rest her Soul.”
One more added, “This is heartbreaking. Things like this make you realize how you can’t take any one or any day for granted.”
Picking Up the Pieces
In the days that followed, Heather and Mike worked on cleaning up after the storm. The flood had destroyed almost everything—furniture, personal items, clothing—it was all gone. But none of that compared to the pain of losing Donna.
“This is obviously the worst we have ever, ever seen,” Heather said. As someone who had lived in Indian Rocks Beach for 25 years, she had been through other storms, but nothing like this. “We lost three trees with [Hurricane] Irma, but we still had our house, we still had all our belongings, and we still had Donna.”
Now, Donna was gone, and the loss was unbearable. Heather’s voice broke as she added, “And I know there are others out here that lost their lives as well. Just pray for everybody right now.”
In a small bit of relief, Donna’s cat survived the storm. Heather and Mike are working to find the cat a safe and loving home, one last act of kindness for their friend.
The Destruction of Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene wasn’t just a storm—it was a catastrophe. The hurricane traveled 800 miles northward, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. The flooding was historic, knocking out power to more than 2 million homes and killing over 100 people.
Donna Fagersten was one of those lost, but her legacy remains. She was a teacher who gave 35 years of her life to her students, a friend who loved deeply, and a “beautiful soul” who will be missed by all who knew her.
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