The online beauty community is mourning the loss of beloved influencer Jessica Pettway, who has died at the age of 36.
Pettway - known for her candid charm and radiant smile - boasted hundreds of thousands of followers across her social media channels, including more than 200,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel, where she documented her life as a mother and shared beauty inspiration.
In a heartbreaking Instagram post, Pettway revealed that she started to experience alarming symptoms back in June 2022, which saw her seek medical help.
"I was having intense vaginal bleeding," she wrote to her 150,000 Instagram followers. "And when I say intense, I mean I was literally bleeding out.
"I called around and asked other women if they experienced this before and majority of them said they have. I thought, well maybe this is a 'normal' thing that women go through. I was experiencing extreme fatigue, weakness and just not feeling like myself. But again, I accepted this as a 'normal' symptom that most women go through.
"Well, on July 1st 2022 at 4am, my husband found me in the bathroom unresponsive and not breathing."
Pettway continued: "I had literally passed away. He called on Jesus to bring me back and I came back. I was rushed to the hospital, where they told me that the extreme blood loss was due to 'fibroids.' My Gyno made it seem like it was so normal and common. I didn't think much of it, however I was passing clots the size of a placenta, which was really alarming.
"They kept me overnight and released me the next day. Fast forward to July 22nd, I was hospitalized again for the same thing. Again, the medical professionals treated it like it was not that alarming since it was just a 'fibroid.'"
After repeated misdiagnoses and hospital stays, Pettway was eventually diagnosed with Stage 3 Cervical Cancer after receiving an out-patient biopsy on February 8, 2023.
"I was misdiagnosed all this time," she told her followers.
Pettway's sister, Reyni Brown, has since reported that the beloved influencer passed away on March 11, Metro reports.
In a heartbreaking tribute, Brown expressed the pain of losing her beloved sibling, saying: "It’s my birthday today, and the only thing I could ever wish for is for God to bring you back on this earth." Brown described Pettway as the "most amazing, strong, confident" woman she had ever known, emphasizing how Pettway's life had enriched hers with wisdom and laughter.
As the news of Pettway's passing continues to spread, her social media channels have been flooded with condolences and messages of gratitude for her openness and courage.
Many of her fans have also spoken out against women frequently being misdiagnosed, and urged others to seek the best possible help, support, and advice if they were experiencing similar symptoms.
Our thoughts go out to Pettway's family, friends, and fans at this time.
If you or somebody you know is battling with the devastating effects of cancer, you can call Cancer.org's 24/7 helpline on 1-800-227-2345 or visit Cancer.org for more information and services.
