Friends remember US instructor killed in Lisbon funicular crash as 'bright star'

Heather Hall, an instructor at the College of Charleston, was identified as the sole American among 16 people who died when the Glória funicular crashed in Lisbon on Wednesday. A first-generation college graduate and mother of two, Hall was in Portugal to speak at a conference and was remembered as a passionate advocate for inclusive education and disability rights. Hall's family described her as someone who lived life "fully, boldly, and with a heart wide open to the world," while colleagues praised her energy, kindness, and commitment to her students and the field of special education.