YouTuber Jessica Pettway (36) succumbs to cervical cancer after misdiagnosis
What's the story
Jessica Pettway, a beauty influencer who boasted 228K subscribers on YouTube, sadly died at 36 last Wednesday, E! News reported. Her sister Reyni confirmed the devastating news on Instagram, expressing profound grief over the loss of her "beautiful big sister." Pettway had previously revealed to her followers that she was fighting stage three cervical cancer, a diagnosis she received after initially being misdiagnosed with fibroids.
Misdiagnosis
Pettway's journey: From misdiagnosis to cancer fight
Pettway first detected the symptoms in June 2022 when she experienced "intense vaginal bleeding." She recounted the harrowing moment when her husband discovered her "unresponsive and not breathing in the bathroom." Rushed to the hospital, her doctor initially misdiagnosed her symptoms as fibroids, a common uterine growth. However, after hospitalization and 10 blood transfusions, a biopsy revealed the devastating truth: Pettway had cervical cancer.
Career, journey
She had created a legacy beyond beauty tutorials
Since launching her YouTube channel in November 2013, Pettway amassed more than 16M views across nearly 450 videos. Beyond sharing beauty tutorials, she used her platform to discuss personal life experiences, including her health journey. Despite the challenges of hospital stays and financial strain due to her illness, she remained dedicated to supporting her family and urged others not to let "current circumstances overtake us."
Family
Pettway's family: The core of her journey
Pettway is survived by her husband Michael and their two daughters, Kailee and Zoi Lee. In a 2017 Q&A video, Pettway revealed that she and Michael began dating in 2005 during their teenage years and tied the knot in 2011 when she was 23. Pettway once shared that someone told her, "Young love doesn't last, so don't get your hopes up." "Yet here we are, 16 years after that statement was made," she added.
Fans' reactions to misdiagnosis
Fans hope Michael will take action against misdiagnosis
Pettway's untimely passing has deeply impacted her followers, who urged her husband to consider legal action against her doctors, although it's unclear if they pursued this route. Despite her illness, Pettway remained vocal about her experiences until her passing, staying optimistic throughout. In August 2023, she revealed the toll her illness took on her family by stating, "This year rocked our world...We've been through it all! The girls are too young to understand, yet they noticed the changes."