Current:Home > MarketsAfter a pregnant New York teacher collapses in classroom and dies, community mourns-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
After a pregnant New York teacher collapses in classroom and dies, community mourns
View Date:2024-12-23 19:41:31
New York public school teacher Courtney Fannon spent of the last moments of her life in her classroom, collapsing shortly after sending her husband a quick text on Friday.
Fannon spent that day like she would any other day after the bell rang at Kendall Central School, gathering her thoughts and materials before heading home for the day.
Minutes after sending the message to her husband, she was found unresponsive in her classroom, Matthew Smith, a close friend of the couple wrote on GoFundMe.
Fannon, who was pregnant with her first daughter, Hadley Jaye, was transported to a local hospital, where life saving measures began for both mother and daughter. They died later that evening.
“The world lost 2 beautiful souls, Courtney Fannon and Hadley Jaye Fannon, long before any of us were ready to live in a world without them. They were called to eternal rest the night of March 8th, after a very tragic and unexpected turn of events,” according to the GoFundMe post.
The funds raised through GoFundMe, about $47,623 as of Wednesday, will go towards covering any final expenses, including medical bills, funeral service costs and keep Fannon’s husband Kurtis afloat for the short-term.
District cancels school Monday, issues statement in wake of Fannon’s death
All Kendall Public Schools were closed to students on Monday, including Kendall Central School, where Fannon taught special education since 2018.
“Courtney was a special education teacher who served her students with passion and joy each day,” according to a message by District Superintendent Nicholas Picardo.
“When she wasn't in her classroom sharing her love and gift for teaching with her students, she could be found walking our halls with a smile and a friendly hello,” Picardo said.
Picardo said they were “saddened to share the news,” adding that they would “communicate the details of support for our larger community in the coming days.”
Counselors were on site Tuesday for any students or staff who needed support during this difficult time, the statement reads.
“We ask that you please respect the family's privacy at this time. We have shared information via ParentSquare for caregivers who might need a resource for helping children handle feelings of grief.”
Community comes together to extend condolences, support for the family of the 'special' educator
Smith, who organized the fundraiser on behalf of Kurt Fannon hopes the effort eases some of the burdens left in the “wake of this devastating news.”
“Kurtis was left to not only manage final arrangements for Courtney and Hadley, but he is living mine, and many others, worst nightmare of having to return to a home, filled with baby toys, bottles, furniture and a finished nursery, that will no longer be filled with the cooing sounds and shuffling of a newborn,” he writes.
There is an endless supply of good and positive things to be said about Courtney, according to Smith.
“She was a special education teacher in the Kendall School District and was the perfect person to fill the role. She was loving, genuine and organized in a way that always placed her students ahead of herself, ultimately changing the lives of her students and caregivers, always for the positive.”
A funeral mass for Courtney and Hadley Jaye Fannon will be held on Saturday, March 16 at 11 a.m. at St. Vincent DePaul Church in Churchville, New York, according to reporting by The U.S. Sun.
The family has asked people to send donations in Fannon and Hadley's name to Homestead for Hope, which is a “nonprofit inclusive community farm for individuals with and without disabilities to learn, work, live, and grow in nature’s classroom” in Rochester, New York.
“She was selfless and my heart breaks for those that knew her best, as I only had the chance to know her for the last 10 years through Kurtis,” Smith wrote.
veryGood! (448)
Related
- Candidates line up for special elections to replace Virginia senators recently elected to US House
- A November meteor shower could be spectacular. Here's when to watch and where to look.
- Nintendo's 'The Legend of Zelda' video game is becoming a live-action film
- Store worker killed in apparent random shooting in small Iowa town; deputy shoots suspect
- Queen Elizabeth II's Final 5-Word Diary Entry Revealed
- Azerbaijan’s president addresses a military parade in Karabakh and says ‘we showed the whole world’
- Israel-Hamas war said to have left 10,300 dead in Gaza and displaced 70% of its population in a month
- Parents of a terminally ill baby lose UK legal battle to bring her home
- Bull doge! Dogecoin soars as Trump announces a government efficiency group nicknamed DOGE
- Is Travis Kelce Traveling to South America for Taylor Swift's Tour? He Says...
Ranking
- World leaders aim to shape Earth's future at COP29 climate change summit
- Joel Madden Shares Rare Insight Into Family Life With Queen Nicole Richie and Their 2 Kids
- Krispy Kreme wants to gift you a dozen donuts on World Kindness Day. No strings attached.
- Ex-Grammys CEO Neil Portnow accused of sexual assault by unnamed musician in lawsuit
- What are the best financial advising companies? Help USA TODAY rank the top U.S. firms
- Minnesota town is believed to be the first to elect a Somali American as mayor
- Radio reporter arrested during protest will receive $700,000 settlement from Los Angeles County
- CMA Awards 2023: See Every Star on the Red Carpet
Recommendation
-
Mason Bates’ Met-bound opera ‘Kavalier & Clay’ based on Michael Chabon novel premieres in Indiana
-
With Chiefs on bye week, could Travis Kelce go see Taylor Swift as Eras Tour resumes?
-
Here's how much you need to earn to afford a home in 97 U.S. cities
-
Atlanta man arrested with gun near U.S. Capitol faces numerous charges
-
Prominent conservative lawyer Ted Olson, who argued Bush recount and same-sex marriage cases, dies
-
A pickup truck crash may be more dangerous for backseat riders, new tests show
-
How did AFC North – with four playoff contenders – become NFL's most cutthroat division?
-
'Stay, stay, stay': Taylor Swift fans camp out days ahead of Buenos Aires Eras Tour shows