Huntersville mother diagnosed with rare eye cancer died, husband says

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A Huntersville mother diagnosed with a rare eye cancer died Wednesday, her husband posted on Facebook.

“Today, Jessica Boesmiller got her wings. She passed surrounded by a houseful of loving family that stood vigil throughout the night,” the post said.

She was first diagnosed in 2017, when she was pregnant with twins. Then in 2019, she faced another battle with ocular melanoma.

“Jessica loved her family fiercely and was a true friend to so many. Her strength and character were admired by all that knew her. Jessica, you left your mark and you will be missed, most of all by me,” the post said.

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The rare cancer normally impacts five out of a million people, but there have been nearly two dozen cases of ocular melanoma in the Huntersville area.

For years, Channel 9 has followed the push for answers to Huntersville’s ocular melanoma mystery.

The town funded research into family genetics, soil tests looking for environmental clues, tests of tumor tissue, and bloodwork from six female patients looking for a connection.

Sadly, none of that research has led to answers.

In 2020, Jessica Boesmiller told Channel 9 that she would not stop looking.

“It’s been a huge part of our family for almost three years now and taken a toll on our family, and I don’t want that to happen to anyone else,” Boesmiller has told Channel 9.

A local lawmaker is pushing to get $150,000 to create a special research team.

(WATCH BELOW: More dead ends as doctors seek answers to rare eye cancer cluster in Huntersville)

More dead ends as doctors seek answers to rare eye cancer cluster in Huntersville

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