Funeral services held this week for hero Lynn mom, 44, who died saving her 10-year-old son

Wife of Everett Police Lieutenant mourned following tragic accident at Franconia Falls, N.H.

By Steve Freker

Funeral services were held yesterday in Lynn for a 44-year-old hero mom who drowned trying to rescue her 10-year-old son as he was pulled by the current at a popular waterfall at Franconia Falls in New Hampshire’s White Mountains on August 15. Following visitation for Melissa Bagley on Wednesday evening at the Solimine Funeral Home in Lynn, her funeral was held Thursday at St. John the Evangelist Church in Swampscott.

Bagley was with her family, including veteran Everett Police Lt. Sean Bagley, and a friend on Aug. 15 during a trip to Franconia Falls when her 10-year-old son slipped and fell into a pool and could not escape the fast, circulating current, according to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. Bagley “jumped into the river to help her child and began to immediately have trouble,” Sgt. Heidi Murphy said. One of Bagley’s other children jumped in to help but he became lodged in boulders and had to be rescued by his father, Lt. Bagley.

In the days since her death, Mrs. Bagley has been described by North Shore residents as a devoted wife and “hero mother who made the ultimate sacrifice for her child.”

She was born in Salem in 1979, raised in Lynn and Swampscott and attended Aborn Elementary School, St. Pius V School and Swampscott High School. She later went on to study cosmetology and esthetics at Elizabeth Grady and was the former owner and CEO of the renowned Euphoria Esthetics Day Spa in Swampscott for many years.

According to family and friends, Melissa Bagley was “the ultimate hockey, baseball and horse show mom and was so very proud of her children and their accomplishments. She was an avid gardener, member of the Swampscott Chamber of Commerce and parishioner of St. John the Evangelist Church, Swampscott.”

In addition to her husband Sean and mother Brenda Resse of Lynn, Melissa is survived by her adoring children, Brendan Powicki (Lynn Police Department) and his fiancé Alison Frazee, Riley Bagley, Alannah Bagley and Jonathan Bagley; her loving sisters, Kamelon “Kammy” Stevens and her husband Mike and Paige Nadolna; her nieces and nephews, Connor, Joshua, Owen and Kadence Stevens and Danny, Luke and Maria Bagley; her mother in-law Mary Bagley and her late husband John; her sister-in-law Maura Bagley and brother-in-law Daniel Bagley and his wife Maryanne along with her aunt, uncles, cousins, close friends and beloved fur babies, Tucker and Charlie and grand fur baby Oakley. She was predeceased by her grandparents Francis “Frank” and Bettyann (Wormstead) Resse and her uncle Scott Resse.

To financially support her children, Everett Police set up the Melissa Bagley Family Memorial Fund. The idea followed an outpouring of support from those who reached out with “thoughts, concerns and willingness to help out,” a police Facebook post read.

Donations can be made out to the Melissa Bagley Family Memorial Fund and mailed or dropped off in care of: The Everett Bank, 419 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149.

Her daughter-in-law, Alison Frazee, also set up a GoFundMe to help financially support the family. Frazee described Bagley as “the epitome of selflessness by making the ultimate sacrifice for her family.”

The GoFundMe page had received, as of press time, over $82,000 from 954 donations. To donate, visit the GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/f/bagley-family-fund-in-memory-of-melissa-bagley