Fontbonne graduate dies at 18

Fontbonne Hall Academy graduate Caileigh O’Donohue Duggan died June 10 at age 18.

According to the O’Malley Irish Dance Academy Facebook page she died from an undiagnosed heart condition. She was once a dancer at the academy.

According to the school’s Facebook page, Duggan “passed away suddenly but quietly this weekend.”

The Breezy Point resident graduated from the Shore Road school last year and also graduated from Visitation Academy in 2018.

Duggan received a four-year merit scholarship to Fontbonne, according to her obituary on marineparkfh.com. She was in a science elective program and played on the volleyball team that won the 2022 Diocesan and City Championships.

She had just finished her first year in the University of Tennessee’s nursing program.

“She loved her dream school and dove headfirst into all the activities associated with being part of her Delta Gamma sorority family,” her obituary says. “Her goal was to become a pediatric oncology nurse and her departure is a huge loss to her expected future patients and families for whom she would have given her ultra special love and empathy.”

Duggan was born with severe amblyopia, which reduces vision in one eye.

“She worked hard in therapy and became part of the less than 3 percent of people who move from severe to no amblyopia,” the obituary says.

In Duggan’s memory, orange ribbons were placed outside both Fontbonne and Xaverian H.S. The color represents the University of Tennessee.

“May the Blessed Mother watch over Caileigh & the entire Duggan family,” the school said on Facebook. “With love & prayers from your Xaverian family.”

The wake will be held today from 2 to 9 p.m. at Marine Park Funeral Home. The funeral will take place Friday at 11:30 a.m. at St. Thomas More Church in Breezy Point, with committal to follow at Holy Rood Cemetery in Westbury.

Update: This article has been updated to add information from O’Malley Irish Dance Academy Facebook page regarding Duggan’s heart condition.