Danielle Gaertner De Agostini was born March 21, 1993, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was 29 when we lost her on April 23, 2022, in a plane crash in Cedar City, Utah. Her boyfriend, Thomas Eatchel, was also onboard along with his brother and sister-in-law, Steven and Lindsay Eatchel. Danielle is survived by her parents, Henrique and Ana De Agostini, her brothers, JR (and his wife Whitney De Agostini), Felipe De Agostini, and her sister Alessandra (and her husband Teancum Quist). She served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Seattle Washington from 2013 - 2014.
Danielle was preparing to walk at her graduation from the University of Utah next week. She had just completed her bachelor’s degree in English, which many know was one of her passions. She was a wordsmith who would devour books and could write with so much insight it made you feel smarter just by hanging out with her.
If you read the posts dedicated to Danielle over Facebook this past week there are a few things you will read over and over again. Everyone talks about how her laughter was infectious, about how she would light up any room she walked into, and how she was everybody's friend. They would also often say she was the life of the party, and remark on how witty and brilliant she was.
As far her hobbies go, she was proud of being an absolute nerd and made no effort to hide it. You could often find her all dressed up at midnight movie premiers. She had a passion for solving problems and looked at so many challenges in life as a puzzle. She would often be found with a computer, watch, or other gadget cracked open and being analyzed. She would find solutions to technical problems that most of us would pay someone else to fix if we didn't just throw out the equipment to begin with.
She had a strong and distinctive style--in everything she wore, hung on her walls, drew, sculpted, said, and wrote. She was never the kind of person who sat and hoped for something better to come around the corner. She went after the things she wanted, and simply got them, with the understanding that life is meant to be enjoyed, not only endured.
There was a time after she served her mission that life wasn't easy for Danielle. She suffered from social, physical, and mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. For years she put on a brave face for so many of us. But she worked hard to be better and to embrace her life. As we went through her things this past week, we found a letter she wrote to herself as she was taking inventory at the end of last year that ended with the line: "Anyhow, you're currently in your most natural state of being both a simultaneous emotional wreck and also crushing it on the outside."
In the months preceding her passing, she spoke about how she was the happiest she had ever been. She was in love with, and felt completely loved by, Tom Eatchel. They were in a relationship that they both actively worked on and were planning on being sealed in the temple soon. She was checking off all her goals one by one. She found so much joy in serving the people around her and loved to make fun of her father and sister when they asked for help navigating any kind of technology or editing papers.
In the days before she left us, she was often found dancing in the kitchen and singing at the top of her lungs. And as she mused about her elation, Danielle asked her mother more than once if she thought this happiness could last forever. Because of her testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ and knowledge of the Plan of Salvation, we believe that she indeed found a way to make happiness last forever.
Services to remember Danielle:
Celebration of Life to be held Saturday, April 30, 2022, at 10:00 AM MST.
11570 S. Wasatch Blvd., Sandy, UT 84092
The event will also be streamed on YouTube, at this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Av8HwvlLjCRvTqtP2o44A/live
A memorial in Danielle's honor will be held directly after for those attending in person.
I just want to say that, I really feel for your loss. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to know Danielle and work with her at the Global Service Department, she was a brilliant, smart and wonderful person. I know that our Heavenly Father has a great plan and we all will see Danielle again, and I am so happy for that, because I miss her and the beautiful laugh that only she had. You guys are in my prayers.
Henrique e Ana. Sinto muito pelo fato ocorrido com a filha de vocês que muito nos entristeceu. Força, fé no Pai Celestial. Sinta-se abraçados por nós. Luciano e Josette Souza
Danielle will be sorely missed. She shared joy and knowledge while serving, sprang fun from every pore, and made every place she went more beautiful. I count myself lucky to have known her, even if briefly.
Your contagious laughter will remain with me. Your loving energy and the way you always look for good first. Thank you for being unapologetically yourself and allowing others the space to do the same. Thank you for being a selfless friend. I will miss you, truly. I carry you with me whenever i decide to choose the bright side. Amo voce, amiga.
Danielle was the most amazing person I've ever met, my absolute best friend, and I loved her like a sister. Her beautiful family was like a second family to me, and I love all of them so much! My heart is broken that she is not with us anymore and I can't talk or laugh with her again. She loved fiercely, laughed with everything she had, made friends anywhere she went, and had the happiest and sweetest spirit. I know heaven is brighter now for gaining such a bright shining person, because it has certainly dimmed here on earth without her presence. I'm so happy that I was able to see her one last time before she left us, and her radiating smile and love will forever be in my heart. She will be missed by so many because she touched so many lives. I'll miss her more than ever.
Dear Ana and Henrique,
I am so very sorry for your loss. I can't even imagine how hard this is for you. I pray that you will find the peace that only the Lord can provide at a time like this. Take comfort in knowing that Families Can Be Together Forever. You WILL be together again!
All My Love and Prayers,
Sister Leslee Wilcox
To Danielle's family my feelings and condolences. Danielle was the best, I feel fortunate for having met her and amazing family.
Nossos sinceros sentimentos
Nossos sinceros sentimentos
My heart goes out to all her family. I remember her being kind and quick to smile. I wish comfort and healing and peace for those she left behind. .
Danielle was a peacemaker with a strong spiritual inner strength. She was a wonderful person to be around. We will miss her. However, we are grateful for the knowledge we have that we will see her again. So grateful for our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ & His sacrifice that He made for all of us.
Love, Craig & Karlene Moody
I was a co-worker and friend of Danielle.
My thoughts and prayers are with your family; I love Danielle, and I will never forget her sweet spirit, beautiful "radio voice," and energetic personality.
May the Lord comfort your family with peace and eternal blessings perspective.
Beijinhos Danielle, é extremamente doloroso saber que partiste tão jovem e cheio de vida, mas graças ao plano de salvação espero ver-te outra vez e ouvir a tua linda voz!
Arminda
We are sending our love and prayers, a beautiful girl, a beautiful family, a beautiful life, and now an angel 👼 we cry with you ❤️🙏
I am so sorry for your loss……. My deepest condolences to you and your family……. My thoughts and prayers are with you all…….
Prayers coming your way for healing and comfort for peace and strength to heal and strength to get through this difficult time………🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐‼️‼️‼️
I am so sorry for your loss……. My deepest condolences to you and your family……. My thoughts and prayers are with you all…….
Prayers coming your way for healing and comfort for peace and strength to heal and strength to get through this difficult time………🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐‼️‼️‼️
Danielle was the best of the best. I always knew she was my friend and she always had room for me next to her at church. She emulated what it means to be Christlike and to love unconditionally. I will always consider my life to be blessed for having her as my friend. My heart aches for this loss. Always and forever sending love.
Meus mais sinceros sentimentos! Que nosso bom Deus conforte você e todos de sua família e amigos…🙏
Meus amados Ana e Henrique, saibam que meu coração está chorando junto com o seu. Não tive o privilégio de conhecer a Danielle, mas certamente a conhecerei na eternidade e isso me conforta; o plano de felicidade do Pai é incrivelmente maravilhoso.. Por favor, sintam-se abraçados por mim. Com muito amor,
Darlani Gaertner Salimbeni
Ana e Henrique,
Meus sentimentos pelo falecimento de sua filha!
Tenho orado por vocês desde que soube do ocorrido através da Gabi e da Jussara.
Que o Senhor os abençoe com a força e a coragem que precisam para enfrentar essa dor.
Sintam o meus afetuoso abraço❤️
Com carinho,
Saly.
Danielle's sparkley brown eyes, hugs and laughter will always be missed and yet remembered. The joy on her face in the last photograph says it all. I hope that the memories of the past will carry you through the hard days to come. Danielle would want to see you smile despite the pain. My heartfelt condolences go to each of you. A new light radiates in heaven...
Meus muito queridos irmãos e amigos: ❤️❤️
Muito, muito difícil expressar em palavras os meus sentimentos! Agora eu sei o que é separar-se por um tempo, das pessoas que amamos…….e também sei que palavras de conforto e amor são-nos ditas…….mas só o Senhor é o tempo, para aliviar a dor, a falta que fazem em nossas vidas, as pessoas que vão para o outro lado do véu . Que nosso Deus esteja com vcs dois e demais familiares, por agora e para os demais dias que virão. Bjs cheios de amor. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😘😘😘😘😘
Words cannot express our sadness of loosing her in this life. She keeps coming to our mind. We miss her so much. She left us but she is with us because she is in our life. It was a privilege for us to serve with her as a mission president and wife in the Washington Seattle Mission. We were there to help the missionaries but she helped us. Whenever we met her, there were happy missionaries. It doesn’t mean that her mission was always easy. She was the one who carried the challenges as blessings. She was the one who cheered up those who had heavy challenges. We will see her at the mission reunion later. We sincerely pray for her family and friends.
Henrique e Ana, meus pêsames pela perda da sua querida filha. Eu tenho muito carinho por vocês dois e partiu meu coração ouvir a notícia. Eu e minha esposa estamos orando e jejuando por vocês, mas por favor nos avise se tiver qualquer coisa que podemos fazer por vocês
Danielle: Beautiful, bright, unique, cheery, short-lived... like a warm, peach-toned tulip. She was more than a coworker, she was a friend. Her love will shine on through the eternities. May comfort find all of us in the warmth of her memories.
Querido amigo Mariani e esposa Ana, quero deixar aqui meu carinho neste momento de dor, e desejar que tenham paz e eu sei que o Senhor os está abraçando neste momento . Estamos aqui na terra pra sermos testados até nosso limite e qdo suportamos logo somos abençoados e assim vem a paz. Que ela domine voces nesta hora.Amo muito voces. Grande abraço.
Sorry for your loss much love , praying for you all .
We are so very sorry to hear about Dani. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family.
Love,
Mette & Kent
I can’t say that I knew her too well at all. But I wanted to write a condolence on here to add to the many others. Regardless of how little I knew her, she is not a person I could forget. Will always have a positive recollection of her when I see her face in photos.
Condolences to the family who survived her who will now have to wait until they are reunited with her once again.
We are very sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time. May the Lord bless you with peace and comfort.
Danielle.... well, she was absolutely one of a kind. From her hilarious stories she enjoyed sharing in the workplace, hearing her help a coworker through a complex issue even though it wasn't her responsibility (and often actually taking over the situation), and so many additional things that come to mind. One specifically: as brilliant as Danielle could be, one never felt stupid around her because of the gift she had to explain and teach.
For me, however, my most cherished memories of Danielle in our time together while working at the Church were the times it was slow and she would just come over, get my attention, and then ask me with a seriousness few witnessed, and would begin to say she wanted some advice on a non-work issue. "I need some life advice, Mike, and I know you'll be honest with me even if it hurts my feelings." I loved the talks these moments would spawn, and they're some of my most cherished memories of not just working with her, but in my Church employment as a whole.
It's cliché to say this, but the world truly is a dimmer place now that such a bright light has left us here as she moves onto her next step into the eternities. The void I'm left feeling, along with countless others, is in an odd way itself a blessing because we all had the blessing of knowing her and counting her as a friend.
But still, I'm going to miss my friend and the light she brought into the lives of all she met.
Agostini Family,
What a tragedy and big loss for your family. I'm so very sorry she has departed from mortality.
I had the privilege of serving in the YSA and interacted with Danielle. She was bright, vivacious, full of energy and always bringing in others into her giant circle of love. We were all blessed by her testimony, strength and genuine love she displayed for all.
May each of you find peace in the joy you felt when you were in her presence and understand that the Lord will put her on an eternal assignment as she continues to grow throughout eternity.
Much love,
Jackie Riley
My dear friends,
My heart aches for you. I know the pain of loosing someone loved. May the Lord bless you all with the strength and faith to endure this short time apart from her. When I went through that same pain, I prayed for peace and I felt the love and peace that came from my Savior. It can be done. I know it.
First, we have the pain, so when you are filled with peace you will know for sure about His love and compassion. May the peace be with you.
Have been thinking of you non- stop, Danielle, imagining how special it must have been to hug Beloved Sweet Grandma Alice and Grandpa Levy again. Awwwwww, how soul-filling that hug must have felt! ♥️♥️♥️
I love you, my Beautiful Amazing GrandDaughter. Till we meet again one day. ♥️♥️
The other Grandma ♥️😘
Nossos corações estão voltados para voces neste tempo de tristeza. Sentimos enormemente..
Nos amamos voces, é tão bom ter voces em nossas vidas. Estamos orando.
Tío Leonidas e tía Patricia..
Me parte o Coração ver voces passarem por Essa dor tão grande! Foi muito especial falar com a Danielle naquele jantar de comemoração na casa de voces. Menina Linda, Feliz e cheia de sonhos lindos e de Uma segurança em si propria.
Sentimos muito!
Amamos muito voces!❤️🙏
We are so sorry about the passing of your darling daughter. May the Lord comfort you and bless you with peace in this difficult time. We love Felipe and your family.
We are deeply saddened by Danielle’s sudden death. As we reflect, think and meditate regarding the purpose of life we pray for comfort during these emotional moments. May all who knew her, feel love and celebrate a beautiful woman who came to this world and made it better.
Sinto muito familia de Agostini por tamanha perda. Estamos em oração para que tenham o conforto do Senhor.
Ana and Enrique, we were so sorry to hear of the passing of your beautiful daughter. Our prayer is for you to feel comfort and peace in the coming days. Sending our love.
Dear Friends:
The words of Danielle’s obituary are so beautiful and inspiring. She finished her mission on this earth with the happiness that she deserved for loving the Savior and serving Him. She accomplished all that she could possibly do with the short time she had on earth: she was raised by wonderful parents, enjoyed the company of lovings siblings, found the love of her life, graduated from a university, and served a full-time mission for the church. Most people who come to this world and live to be 80, do not accomplish what Danielle did in 29. Congratulations Ana and Henrique for raising such a wonderful daughter. She is just as divine as you both are. Love you!❤️❤️❤️
Ana, I am so sorry about the loss of your daughter. I saw the news about the accident, but only realized she was your daughter when a mutual friend posted her obituary on Facebook today. As I read all the nice things people have posted about her, I couldn’t help but think that she turned out just like her mother. I remember you as being exceptionally kind and loving, and as a good friend. I’m praying for you and your family at this difficult time, and hoping you can have peace.
I’m so heartbroken that Danielle left us so quickly. Sending love and prayers to your family.😭 My family and I watched virtually Danielle celebration of life. ✨ It was absolutely beautiful, so much love radiated with the stories shared and heartfelt memories of her laughter, positive impact she brought to so many, and her contagious energy. 😭🥹💗🫶🏻
It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later. Rest in peace 🫶🏻.
Dear De Agostini family. I send my deepest condolences for your tragic loss. I will remember Danielle as a joyful, wide-eyed ray of light. You may not remember me, but your family had a positive influence on me as a child. For that I thank you. I’ll never forget the delicious feast I had in your home one Sunday with Chandler Herd during our fast offerings collection route. Little did I know I would enjoy the same experience innumerable times as a missionary in Belo Horizonte.
Saturdays service for Danielle was so beautiful. Each family member who spoke blessed us with impressive strength, tenderness, testimony, wisdom, and love. Thank you. I pray you may have continued peace.
Love, Michael Gagon
As her academic advisor for her English major at the University of Utah, I worked very closely with Danielle from Fall 2015 until her graduation (we had 10 advising appointments, so I met with her practically every semester and knew her as well as I've known any student). Danielle was a true pleasure to meet with--I always looked forward to our meetings to hear how things were going (and remind her about testing out of the foreign language requirement since she was fluent in Portuguese!). Balancing work and school was sometimes tough for Danielle, but she had amazing determination and resiliency. One of the last things I told Danielle was that I would see her at the Convocation Ceremony in May. I am so deeply saddened that I will not be able to tell her in person how proud I am of her that she persevered through adversity and graduated with her B.A. in English.
The Department of English was blessed to have Danielle as one of our students and alumni. It was truly a pleasure and an honor to work with her, and she will be missed by our faculty, staff, and students.
I have only just learned this terrible, terrible, heartbreaking news. Danielle was my excellent student last fall in Form and Theory of Poetry; she was absolutely lovely, a joy to have in class: wonderfully thoughtful and honest and intelligent. She made our discussions much livelier and always had insightful and valuable comments to make o everything we read. Even though the class was on Zoom, I felt I got to know and like her so much; her marvelous presence came over even in that tiny square on a computer screen. I can't begin to express my great sadness as this incalculable loss.
I was friends with Danielle when we were younger, I remember playing with her in my parents backyard, slumber parties, etc. although we lost touch after our childhood I always remembered those memories fondly….
My condolences and heart are with her family. In an unfortunate coincident I lost my own sister the day before Danielle’s passing. So know my heart and genuine empathy are with you all. Even after it has been months grief is always with us. Sending prayers and love your way.
Sincerely,
A childhood friend