The world is a far lesser place today. Heather Noone was an extraordinary human being. She will be deeply missed.

So unfortunate. [Portion removed.] I pray for her family who witnessed it.

To lose someone at age 48 in such a sudden tragic accident is unbelievably difficult for her family and friends, and a loss to all those she helped through her work. [Portion removed.] This woman's place should be here with her family doing the work she loved. Very sad. My deepest condolences to those who loved her.

Our condolences to the family, what a terrible loss.

We were reminded tragically of the loss of our child's gym teacher in a similar kind of accident -- in that case, he was an experienced swimmer and experienced with those kinds of water situations, and was a safety-first person, so it's hard to see how it could be prevented. What a tragic loss.

I did not know Heather Noone, but what happened to her is a tragedy.

This tragedy reminds me of the tragedy of a young athletic former co-worker of mine who drowned while she and her friends swam in the American River in July 2005. She apparently was a strong swimmer and was very familiar with that river.

Unfortunately, my former co-worker did not realize that year’s late snowpack melt would cause swift forceful water currents that could, and in fact did, pull her underwater and knock her unconscious. Heavy snowpack apparently produces cold fluctuating runoff in rivers.

Through a contemporary newspaper article about the 2005 tragedy, a Forestry official advised rafters to wear life vests and for people who enter whitewater to wear a helmet.

Heather was a joyous, kind and caring woman. She was creative and inventive. Heather loved her family without limits. When she saw a need, she filled it. Her compassion was endless. I am so grief stricken that I cannot put into words the tremendous hole in my heart to lose my niece in this sudden, horrific accident. I cannot fathom that this beautiful jewel no longer shines on planet earth. It is a great loss for all of us. I remember the day Heather was born. I watched her grow into the stellar woman she became. We who knew her best appreciate the outpouring of compassion for Heather’s husband and daughter and her extended family. We are in shock. A healthy, strong woman should not have had to leave us this way. Thank you.