Woman Who Died Trying To Save Dog In Hudson Valley Flash Flood Remembered For 'Generous Heart'

Hudson Valley resident Pamela Nugent, age 35, was swept away after water surrounded her Orange County home in the hamlet of Fort Montgomery during the severe storms on Sunday, July 9, according to a GoFundMe.

"She came out, seeing her house was taking on too much water," Gov. Kathy Hochul said during a news conference Monday in Highland Falls. "She was with her dog and her fiancé literally saw her swept away. Terror, right here."

Emergency responders later found Nugent’s body at the bottom of a ravine.

• Earlier Report: Orange County Woman Killed During Severe Storm ID'd As 35-Year-Old Trying To Rescue Dog

"It was very dangerous for the first responders who had to get her out of there," Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus said. "We saw debris falling on them as they tried to get her to higher ground so we could get her to the medical examiner's office."

Ivey Jenkins-Long, a family friend, described the “near-apocalyptic scene” when water surrounded Nugent’s home.

“They watched the backyard, gazebo, and 200-year-old retaining wall disappear and leave behind a cavernous hole.

“Then the street at the front of the house was washed away, the four-inch-thick asphalt breaking off in seconds and becoming a cliff only fifty yards from the house,” she continued.

Nugent’s dog, a “sweet-natured” Newfoundland named Minnie, was found next to her body.

The woman’s sudden death has taken an “unimaginable toll” on those closest to her, Jenkins-Long said.

“Pam was an extremely bright, smart, funny, kind and positive person with a generous heart who was ready to do anything she could for you,” she said, adding that Nugent grew up in Fort Montgomery and was heavily involved in her community and church.

“She worked hard at her job with an acclaimed engineering firm; and most of all, she had big plans for her future where her wedding with Rob was just the beginning."

Jenkins-Long has since created a GoFundMe to help Nugent’s family with memorial expenses. She said some of the money raised will also go toward a memorial for Nugent in her neighborhood.

“This is our chance to give back to him and his family in a time when they need it.”

Those who wish to donate to the GoFundMe can do so here.

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