‘From where I sit’: Mourning the loss of a beautiful soul
By Independent columnist Diana Storen
She was majestic. Resilient. A model of strength and determination. A fiercely protective mother. A loyal mate. And a bald eagle.
Jackie’s fearless personality, tenaciousness and devotion to her family attracted millions of followers around the world. At peak moments in her life, as many as 100,000 people were watching. I was one of them.
In 2015, Friends of Big Bear Valley, an environmental non-profit organization, installed a 24-hour livestream solar camera 120 feet above the forest floor in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California.
My viewing began in 2025 as Jackie and her partner Shadow prepared their nest for offspring. Jackie laid three eggs in January.
A harsh winter storm dumped over two feet of snow on their nest. But Jackie did not abandon her eggs. She spread her enormous wings, trying her best to protect them.
When they hatched in June, only two of the chicks survived. That was sad for me, but just the brutal reality of a wild creature’s life.
Then I read what happened in 2024. Jackie laid three eggs. From Feb. 5 to 8, she sat on the nest continuously without a break for 62 hours!
A severe storm dropped heavy snow on the nest, at times burying it, and Jackie. But despite the care they received, none of these eggs hatched.
The eagles’ behaviour changed after this devastating loss. Might this have been the eagle equivalent to human reaction in a similar situation? No source I read called it grief. But I do wonder if animals mourn.
Eventually, the pair returned to their normal behaviour, visiting the nest and bringing sticks to it.
On July 18, 2026, two younger eagles attacked and injured her on the shore of Big Bear Lake. She was rescued and immediately taken to the Ojai Raptor Center.
The staff discovered she was suffering from severe anemia and kidney inflammation, which had left her too weak to defend herself against her attackers.
For three weeks the center did everything it could to save her, but it was not to be. She passed away on Aug. 10, 2026.
Throughout her short life, Jackie just did what she and other female eagles are programmed to do. But she will never know the legacy she left behind.
Because people saw and appreciated her, they donated millions of dollars to buy land that was to be developed but will now be protected as a habitat for eagles and other creatures.
And she was also responsible for inspiring a deeper appreciation in us for all wildlife, which we share the earth with.
In a Salisbury Post article published on Aug. 16, 2026, Elisabeth Strillacci wrote: “A bird living halfway across the country, high in a tree, with no idea I even exist, gave me hope, courage and peace in a way I can’t quite capture. And her loss has left an empty space.”
I could not have expressed my own feelings any better.
“A beautiful tribute to Jackie – a life that lifted our hearts” is an online emotional memorial to Jackie on YouTube. It is a must-watch video. Keep the Kleenex handy.
Diana Storen is a long-time Cobourg resident who spent her entire teaching career at Cobourg District Collegiate Institute West and formerly served on the Cobourg Star editorial board and as a columnist for the paper.
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