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Deborah Burke, 65 of Harrisburg, PA, retired from being the Vice President of Finance for Goodwill Keystone Area in May 2024, according to her LinkedIn. She was a 1999 alumna of West Chester University with a degree in accounting.
She was enjoying the "career break" as she put it, rafting with her family on the Klutina River near Copper Center in Alaska on Sunday, July 7, 2024, when disaster struck — a landslide rolled debris towards three rafts, rolling over the lead raft where Deborah was, according to Alaska State Police.
"Pinned by the river current" the guide and three passengers were submerged, as stated by ASP.
Rescue efforts swiftly began. The guide and two passengers were pulled onto one of the other rafts but the third passenger was not found.
At 6:25 p.m., the Alaska Wildlife Troopers were notified of the rafting incident, according to a release. They joined Alaska State Troopers and EMS downriver at the Richardson Highway Bridge "where the fourth person was spotted and recovered by good Samaritans," as stated in the release.
"The rafting guide and one of the recovered individuals were treated on scene and then medevacked to Anchorage with serious injuries," officials said. There is no word on their current status.
Deborah was among the first passengers rescued. She "succumbed to her injuries after life-saving efforts by EMS were unsuccessful," police said.
Her family was with her and was notified, according to the police.
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