The community mourns the loss of “Jeff the Giant,” the 56-year-old homeless man who died from an enlarged heart — both physically and metaphorically.

Jeffery Pangburn passed away in his truck in Oak Harbor in the early morning of Nov. 1. His autopsy revealed he had a particularly large heart that may have been the cause of his death, according to his family. He had a history of high blood pressure and a stroke.

Pangburn was famous on Whidbey Island for his selfless act in his attempt to save 15-year-old Grace Horn from a burning car after she crashed in the early morning on Dec. 2, 2024, close to where he was sleeping in a gazebo. He burned his hands trying to get into the car, which had started on fire; Horn died at the scene.

Community members rallied together to help the homeless man

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