FERGUSON, Mo. — Teddy bears and crime scene tape sat in front of a Ferguson, Missouri, home Tuesday afternoon.
It's a stark reminder of what's been lost.
"The city is just heartbroken. She’s going to be missed and her children. Ferguson, we come together when there is a crisis," Ferguson Mayor Ella Jones said.
This crisis took five lives.
Family confirmed Bernadine "Birdie" Pruessner and her four children, 2-year-old Millie, 6-year-old Jackson and 9-year-old twin girls Ellie and Ivy died in a fire Monday morning.
While police have not yet released a cause, they said it appears suspicious.
Pruessner was a Lewis & Clark Community College assistant professor and coordinated the Child Development and Education programs.
In 2013, she received the Missouri Teacher of the Year Award from the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence. She was a published author of a book on Montessori education, titled "Making it Montessori."
Lewis & Clark President Ken Trzaska shared this statement:
“Birdie was a dear colleague and friend to all. She cared so deeply about her students and about helping others. She brought an energy and illuminated such a bright light of positivity and kindness to our campus community.
"We consider ourselves family at LC and we are all devastated and numbed by this tragedy. We will always carry Birdie’s legacy and memory forward, and we can never forget the impact that she had on her students and community.
"We all only hope that her family may find courage and strength during this unfathomable time.”
Brittany Perschbacher worked with Pruessner at Lewis & Clark.
Perschbacher said Pruessner was working so hard to bring the best to her students and department. She said Pruessner was months from earning her doctorate in early childhood.
"She also was big with the Montessori community and local mom groups," Perschbacher said.
Trish Seifried said Pruessner was also well known for her love of animals. Seifried worked with Pruessner, hiring her animals for commercial work.
"She literally poured her heart and soul into everything. Everything that she did was just really remarkable. There was nothing that she couldn't do and really just a shining example of how to live the ultimate life," she said.
Beyond being an animal lover, 5 On Your Side learned Pruessner was an actress and urban farmer.
St. Louis talent agency, TalentPlus, shared this statement:
"Birdie made invaluable contributions to our talent agency for over 10 years. We are devastated by this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who cherished Birdie and her sweet children."
"Not just Birdie but her four wonderful children as well, they were just as gifted as she was. She was a gift to be around and she definitely will be missed a lot," Seifried said.
Perschbacher organized a GoFundMe page, saying the money would go to Pruessner's father to plan all the arrangements.
To donate, click here.
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