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Courtesy of Dignity Memorial
President Obama poses with staff at the University of Colorado Hospital, including Jennifer Gallagher, left of the president
Courtesy of Dignity Memorial
Jennifer Ann Gallagher
Nurse Jennifer Gallagher, who helped treat victims of the Aurora theater shooting in Colorado, has drowned while on a family vacation in Iowa.
Gallagher, 46, of Denver, went swimming in West Lake Okoboji the night of Aug. 6 and her body was found the next day, according to the Sheriff's Office in Dickinson County, Iowa.
Gallagher, an Ireland native, worked at the University of Colorado Hospital for 13 years and cared especially for a shooting victim treated in the hospital's neurological intensive care unit, which she helped open. She was among staffers who met with President Barack Obama during his visit two days after the July 20 shooting rampage that killed 12 and wounded 58 at the Century Aurora 16 theater.
The hospital's nursing chief officer, Carolyn Sanders, said Gallagher was a "beloved nurse" who was well known for her ability to connect with people and develop caring relationships with her patients.
Courtesy of Dignity Memorial
Jennifer Ann Gallagher and her family
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Her husband of seven years, Greg Pinson, told the Evening Herald newspaper of Dublin that his wife “loved saving lives” and was a “wonderful mother” to their son Jack, 5.
“We’re struggling to cope without her,” Pinson told the Herald.
He said he and Jack had gone to sleep when Gallagher and her friend took a boat out on the lake to go swimming.
See NBCNews.com coverage of the Aurora shootings
Courtesy of Dignity Memorial
Jennifer Ann Gallagher
"She wasn't a very strong swimmer and I suppose she just wasn't able to stay afloat. The hardest thing is I may never know what really happened to Jenny," Pinson said.
The County Meath native moved to United States in the 1990s to go to nursing school, the Herald said.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
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We're crazy in this country to everybody allow such easy access to large amounts of deadly water.
Water serves only one purpose.... to drown. Large bodies of waters should be for military and police use only. Nobody needs to own a 32 oz water bottle. 12 oz should be plenty for anybody. And who needs to keep 50 water bottles in their kitchen? All you need for lawful self-quenching is one, and it should be emptied and locked up when not in use.
The founding fathers never imagined a day when you could just walk down to the store and buy as much water as you wanted with no questions asked. You don't even need to show ID in some places!
Finally, we need to do a better job to make sure people with a history of dangerous hydration can't get their hands on water.
Donna hit the nail on the head. Never let a photo opp slip by. It is scary though to think how any of us can be here today and gone tomorrow.
AWFUL ! Feel so sorry for the hubby and child.
The husband said "we will never know what really happened". Um, did you think about asking the friend that was with her on the water? That friend will be able to tell you "what really happened". Duh!
My best guess is that the "friend" may be under investigation, which is why we are not getting his/her i.d. The shroud of mystery may have something to do with this.
More evidence that Final Destination was a documentary. Condolences to the family.
Incredibly sad.
This whole situation sounds really odd.
How sad for her family. I still have a problem with these smiling faces in Obamas photo! He never misses a moment! This picture was very disturbing when it came out. Obama was only there to make A photo op!!!
NO flipping way! I'm a very decent swimmer! If I was not...there'd be NO way I'd go
out swimming at night! I wouldn't go out as a great swimmer at night...Wading in the water ... perhaps... but NO way out on a boat!!
WHO is the friend and what the elll happened to them... I don't believe this for a second!
Something just aint right Lucy!
Matt-998651,
She may have gotten her green card when the government held "green card lotteries". Surely you remember them.
Okoboji is a rock-bottomed glacial lake. No undergrowth to tangle-up in as it is quite deep. Alcohol and a weak swimmer do not a good combination make. RIP
Medical Assistant11, I agree with you, something fishy in Denmark there? Also, how ironic that people attached to the Aurora tragedy are dying now, and the one who survived the Toronto shooting, died in Aurora, very ironic stuff!
You see, the Democrats are right; skinny dipping is not a good thing. Something seems a bit fishy here however.
Doesn't this sound a little like the Natalie Wood accident to anyone else? Hmmmm fishy fishy
Shes beautiful! Very sad
Would it not be sad if she was unattractive?
@Matt-666, whatever your number is, you are cawq! She most likely came over legally and married an American Citizen. She made it through the system with no errors or flags. She drowns and that is all you can say?!!! Why don't you drown? See how many comments would be made about your sorry a.s.s. Completely uncalled for. you are the reason this country is going to $h.it. complain about everything but doesn't even offer any solution. "Waaah! I'd rather cry than try to fix the problem"
By all means lets torment the friend a little more by making them a suspect in a crime that exists only in your minds at this point. I am sure the person doesn't feel bad enough about what happened, so by all means let's push them over the edge by posting comments that they might read because this is on the front page of NBCNews.com and they actually might see it. If you were to meet the family right now face to face, would you start drilling them about the friend or give your condolences? Really, how callous have we become as a society?
My best guess is very calloused and very emotionally indifferent. I'm thinking this whole episode may be under investigation, starting with the friend who was not i.d.
Nurses are angels here on the earth and they are not supposed to drown. RIP dear nurse and my deepest sympathies to her family and loved ones.
My thoughts are with her family and friends.
I agree that this sounds a little odd. Her husband says he "may never know what happened." How about asking her friend?
However, this is a sad story. My heart goes out to her loved ones and especially to her child who will now have to grow up without a mother.
My condolence...
And out come the jerks who think two paragraphs they just read give them enough insight to create a conspiracy or place blame on someone involved in this tragic accident. Nobody thinks you're smart people. Get back to work.
Just plain wrong and awful! God bless her family!
While I agree that this death is tragic, I fail to see what makes it "news" as opposed to any other accidental death. She was on duty the night of the shootings, she was doing her JOB. It's not as though she took a bullet for someone or did anything heroic at all.
Welcome to Soviet AMERIKA. Also, have you heard about the marine who questioned the 9/11 story, that's as much crap as the JFK government story about his assination. WAKE UP AMERICA. Search "Alan Sabrosky U.S. Military Knows israel did 9/11". Calling all Marines, don't let this man rot in a Psych ward for telling the truth, his name is Brandon Raub, Semper Fi!!!
What the hell does this have to do with the story?!
israel drowned the girl?