In Honour of Maggie Kiraga

On Friday, February 24th, 2 days before her 31st birthday, Maggie Kiraga tragically died in a lake in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina.

Maggie and her fiance Simon had been on their trip, driving through the Americas with their dog Roci. Maggie was playing with Roci on the shore of a lake, and went swimming to grab Roci’s ball. The water was much colder than it seemed and by the time Simon and others on the beach were able to get to her, her body had gone into hypothermic shock.

Despite resuscitation efforts, Maggie died in Simon's arms moments later.

Maggie, of Polish origin, obtained a Master's degree in psychology at Ghent University and a Master's degree in neuropsychology from Maastricht University and was in the process of working on a PhD while working full-time as the Director of Research at Quantified Citizen, a Canadian health-tech company. The couple lived and worked in Canada for the same company for 2 years.

Funds go towards cremation services and extended and miscellaneous expenses for Simon. This includes bereavement therapy for Simon and other loved ones, travel expenses for Simon to be with his and Maggie’s families, as well as covering some of the expenses associated with helping Simon to take Maggie’s ashes to their final destination, to the Andes in Peru.

Any additional funds beyond the goal will go towards a ceremony in Peru at a center Maggie had been working with to support those who cannot afford to attend.