Jess moved to New York City and established herself as a leader in communications, health education, and community and employee engagement in the healthcare industry. Besides her full-time career, she was a professional motivational speaker who was passionate about helping others fulfill their greatest potential.
Jess was a founding member of Harboring Hearts, a nonprofit supporting cardiac patients and their families; a fierce advocate for organ donation and those who are physically challenged; and a national patient spokesperson for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
She lived for 20 years with her transplanted heart. She was a three-time cancer survivor and a leg amputee. Despite all her adversity, she lived life to the fullest and was an inspiration to many, earning her the nickname “Wonder Woman.”
Jess died Sept. 25, 2019, awaiting a second heart transplant and a kidney transplant. She was 37 years old. She is survived by her parents, Ellen and Thomas, and her brother, Matthew.