Ten-year-old drowns in family home Ten-year-old drowns in family home (December 23, 2005)

Hearst student remembered as 'shining star'
by Rebecca Guyon

Anouska Fitz-Simon, 10, died Monday night after she suffered from a seizure and drowned in the bathtub at her family's home on Castlewood Drive. Her father Ian Fitz-Simon tried to resuscitate her in their home before ambulances took her to ValleyCare Medical Center where she was pronounced dead at 8:08 p.m.

"She was a shining star at school and never had a bad word to say," Fitz-Simon said. "She was a shining example of character and beauty to everyone who met her."

Anouska, who went by Annie, was a fourth grade student at Hearst Elementary School where she was a straight-A student and loved to study math and science. The Fitz-Simon family moved to Pleasanton three years ago from England. Anouska is survived by her parents, Christine and Ian, and her four siblings, Lawrence, Sam, Horatio and identical twin sister Elspeth.

"They were bookends," Fitz-Simon said of his twin daughters. "You couldn't tell them apart. Her sister is devastated."

When Anouska came home from school on Monday she said she felt ill and had a temperature of 102 degrees. After dinner, she decided to take a bath. Ten minutes passed and her mother became concerned when the bathroom seemed exceptionally quiet. Her father went to check on her and that is when he found her unconscious in the tub.

She and her sister had a history of seizures, but Anouska had not had one for more than four years, Fitz-Simon said. Elspeth actually was the twin who had them more frequently, he added.

"You are supposed to grow out of them when you are five," he said. "We thought it had passed."

Hearst Principal Mike Kuhfal was informed of Anouska's death Tuesday morning and immediately provided counselors to all the fourth and fifth grade students. A letter was sent home to parents and the school opened the multi-use room Wednesday morning to provide counseling for families, staff and students.

"She was a very sensitive, loving, caring individual who was very happy," Kuhfal said. He remembers saying "bye" to her everyday as she past him at the crosswalk with her sister and brother who attends Pleasanton Middle School. "She was really loved by others," he said.

In honor of Anouska, Hearst put a message on its marquee that reads, "Celebrating the life of Annie Fitz-Simon" to emphasize how the school and the family want to celebrate her life, instead of mourning her passing.

"We want to honor and celebrate Annie and what she provided," Kufal said.

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