Ames Cancer Patient Who Stole Our Hearts Online Dies
Ames Cancer Patient Who Stole Our Hearts Online Dies
An Ames woman who captured thousands of people's hearts through her Tik Tok videos has passed away.
You might have met Jessica Hiatt after a series of videos went viral about her bucket list items. Jessica Hiatt or Jessica Christine on Tik Tok described herself as terminally ill on her channel. The 34-year old Ames woman was living in hospice and battling Stage IV Colon Cancer.
Jessica shared with her social media followers that she had moved into hospice around Valentine's Day and that "treatment is no longer an option" for her.
"I'll be making the most of the time I have left here and I know I never gave up the fight!"
She would make videos about her own health journey, colon cancer awareness, and every now and then her love for Harry Potter.
A few months ago she had a sweet wish that she put out into the universe. One kind soul was able to make that wish come true. His name is Chris Bautista. He is a chef and owner of a food truck called 'The Beignet Truck' in California.
He saw a video made by Hiatt that brought him to tears.
"I've always wanted to try beignets from New Orleans," the Iowa woman explained.
"I don't think I'll ever get down there, so if someone out there could possibly send them!"
Bautista was sent the initial video with Jessica's request and quickly agreed to come out for this special mission. He shared his tearful response to the request on social media.
While he didn't necessarily have the funds to turn this wish into reality at first; after posting a GoFundMe page called 'Bring Beignets To Jessica' and going $3,000 over his initial goal, he was able to help a young woman check this item off her bucket list.
In an event that Hy-Vee actually helped coordinate, a bunch of her neighbors, friends, and family gathered around the young woman as she listened to a real New Orleans-style band perform jazz for her.
For those who follow Chris on Tik Tok, you might have caught the Tik Tok live of the event. In it, he cheerfully serves up those tasty-looking beignets to Jessica. Her reaction was priceless.
She shared a few videos capturing the day. You can check them out down below!
That wonderful few hours in a tent surrounded by family, friends, and beignets seemed to be only a memory in some of Jessica's recent videos. Over the past week or two, the Ames woman's video showed the truth about her cancer fight
"I really try and not let it ruin my day," the Tik Tok sensation shared.
Less than two months after moving into hospice, Jessica Hiatt passed away. Her recent videos showed her energy start to dwindle on camera, but her spirit never stopped shining through.
She posted for the very last time on April 3rd. Jessica encouraged her fans to leave questions that she would answer in another video, but that video never came.
Two days after this Tik Tok went up a family member posted a brief 11-second video on her channel that broke my heart.
The speaker says, "Hey friends and family. Jessica's at peace now. Thanks for sticking around while she kept you posted."
You can watch the full video down below.
In a video posted by Chris Bautista, we can confirm that Jessica passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones.