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Young Couple Killed By Falling Tree While Walking Dog In Ditmas Park Sandy Surge
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 31, 2012
Modified Oct 31, 2012
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By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 31, 2012
Modified Oct 31, 2012
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The young man and woman who were killed by a falling tree during the Hurricane Sandy surge in Ditmas Park on Monday night have been identified as Jessie Streich-Kest, 24, and Jacob Vogelman, 23. Officials said they were out walking a dog when a tree fell on them; according to local residents, this may have happened sometime between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., when several large trees in the neighborhood were knocked over. But their bodies weren't discovered until the next morning.
"[The victims] were covered by branches," witness Gina Alica, who walked past the scene Tuesday morning, tells DNAinfo, "You could see their faces." Another neighbor tells the website, "I heard a tree go down around 10 or 11 p.m. yesterday. I didn't see it hit anybody."
The Observer reports that Streich-Kest is the daughter of Jon Kest, executive director for New York Communities for Change. She grew up in Ditmas Park and worked as a teacher at the Brooklyn School of Social Justice. “I can’t believe she is not here anymore,” her friend Matt MacLean tells the Post. “Her passion for animal welfare, political activism and her new career as a high-school teacher were so amazing.” Vogelman, a SUNY Buffalo graduate, was studying at Brooklyn College. A friend describes him as "kind and always smiling."
Ditmas Park Corner reports that Max, the mixed Pit Bull who was on the walk with the couple, "was taken by a neighbor to a nearby veterinary hospital to be treated for possible head trauma. A family friend has since taken custody of the dog. Several neighbors have offered to pay for Max’s vet bills."
According to city officials, Sandy's death toll in NYC has risen to 22.
Tagged
brooklyn
ditmas park
frankenstorm
hurricane sandy
sandy
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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