A heavily-pregnant school teacher has tragically died while hiking with her partner in Greece.
Clara Thomann, 33, had been travelling through Crete, with her partner Elliott Finn when she fell and died during a hike on December 23. The teacher at the Dos Pueblos High School in California, was six months pregnant at the time of the incident.
According to local sources, Clara slipped and fell 50 metres down a gorge on a hiking trail near the Preveli Monastery in the Rethymno region. She was said to have been pronounced brain dead less than a week later, after sustaining major injuries to her chest and skull. Clara tragically lost her unborn child in the fall also, reports the Mirror.
Her family, who chose to donate her organs, had visited the country before her death, according to The Greek Reporter. Tributes have since flooded in for the school teacher, with Veronica Katz writing on the CaringBridge page that she “loved helping and teaching others”.
Veronica added: “Clara loved this Thomann family motto. Making ‘excuses to gather and celebrate’ with family and friends for whatever minor or major reason was something that Clara loved.” Another tribute reads: “My son was her student and she was his favorite teacher.
“Starting high school is nerve wracking having her as his first period as a freshman made it so much more bearable. I appreciated the leadership she showed in her classroom and how she made physics fun and interesting and the love that each student felt from her. She will be missed but never forgotten.”
Dos Pueblos High School principal Bill Woodard has since released a statement describing the “sadness” those at the school feel about Clara’s death. He said: “There are no words to describe the sadness we are all feeling. Ms. Thomann was so kind and such a great teacher who loved her students and loved science. Our hearts break for her family and for all of us who are feeling this loss.
“We understand that this news brings pain and shock, especially to those who had the privilege of knowing Ms. Thomann, which is why we are committed to supporting our students and families.” Clara, who worked as a physics teacher at the school, received dozens of tributes from colleagues and parents of her students. Finn, her partner who was in Greece at the time of her death, has since thanked those for their tributes and shared what he had been doing to honour Clara.
Her partner Finn said: “We’ve been celebrating Clari, hiking to beaches and collecting shells, rocks, and more memories. Thanks so much for all the love and support.” Her family has confirmed they will donate her organs.
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