Widow of local author turns loss into publishing triumph

THE WOODLANDS, TX – A tale of marital bond and love extending from this life into the next can be found in the story of Jayme MacAllister and Monette Hurtt. After the tragic loss of Jayne to a rare, aggressive form of brain cancer, her surviving spouse has continued her wife’s legacy by posthumously publishing her series of children’s books.

Jayme MacAllister was born on an Air Force base in Guam and was raised primarily in Kingwood. She became a licensed cosmetologist right out of high school, and subsequently worked at The Woodlands Mall for several years. Later, she pursued higher education and earned her MBA from Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. After graduating, Jayme entered the corporate world and built a successful career.

Jayme met Monette in 1996 shortly after the latter returned home from serving in the United States Air Force. Monette has her parents to thank for the pair’s initial encounter – they lived next door to Jayme’s mother and stepfather. Though their relationship grew, four years later, Jayme moved to Corpus Christi with her two sons, Corey and Brett, to attend Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. At the time, Monette was working as a dispatcher for the Humble Police Department while attending Lone Star College, and would travel to Corpus Christi once or twice a month to see Jayme.

After graduating in 2003, Monette was hired by the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network, where she still works today. Jayme finally completed her MBA from A&M, and upon her return to The Woodlands area, the couple bought a house to begin building a life together. The pair eventually flew to California and were married in Oakland on New Year’s Eve of 2013.

Unfortunately, Jayme’s life would soon take an unexpected turn for the worse. Scarcely more than a year later, at the beginning of 2015, Jayme began experiencing vision problems, including a constant bright flashing light in her eyes. Eye specialists were unable to find a cause, so she visited her primary care physician, who ordered an MRI. Less than 48 hours after the scan – which was completed the same day – she and her family received devastating news. The MRI revealed lesions on her occipital lobe.

Following an initial surgery to address the issue, Jayme and Monette were told the diagnosis was glioblastoma, the most aggressive and common primary malignant brain tumor in adults, characterized by rapid growth, extensive infiltration into surrounding brain tissue, and a very poor prognosis, with a median survival of approximately 12 to 15 months despite treatment. While surgical removal can extend survival by several months, the cancer almost always recurs, and long-term survival is rare, with less than 10% of patients surviving five years.

The rapid onset of the cancer, hitting Jayme well under the average age of diagnosis of 64 years, coupled with its swift progress, prompted doctors to give Jayme six months to live.

“Her response was, ‘Challenge accepted,’” her eventual widow Monette told Woodlands Online.

Though, pre-diagnosis, Jayme had already started writing her first book, the news from her doctors and the ticking clock of her mortality prompted her to turn her attention to writing and succeed as a children’s author. Though it was several months after her surgery before her vision improved enough for her to continue writing, she persevered, jotting notes and sketching nearly every day, and eventually finished the manuscript to her inaugural children’s book..

“She would write her stories by hand and then give them to me to type. Once they were typed, I would read them back to her to ensure they accurately reflected what she wanted to say,” Monette told Woodlands Online.

Though successfully completing that first manuscript, followed by others, Jayme unfortunately passed away before any of them could be published. True to her spirit, she fought her disease with determination, faith, and courage for nearly two years, well over and beyond the original prognosis of six months. On April 16, 2017, she lost her battle with cancer and passed away at her and Monette’s home.

“She was funny, loving, and possessed an incredible sense of humor. Throughout her illness, she remained positive and steadfast in her faith,” said Monette. “There were many times when my own strength faltered, yet she was always the one who lifted me up and reminded me to keep believing.”

One of Jayme's greatest wishes was to have her books published, so that she could leave behind a legacy of positivity, faith, hope, and perseverance for others. Through the pain and anguish of the loss of her spouse and partner of more than twenty years, Monette melded grief and determination, and decided to set about bringing Jayme’s books to life for an expectant, attentive young audience.

“Publishing her work is a way to honor that wish and ensure that her voice, her message, and her spirit continue to inspire others for years to come,” she said.

Though she herself is gone, Jayme’s legacy lives on with the completion and publication of her first book, The Tortoise Shell Day Parade, available at Barnes & Noble, on Amazon, and on her author website at jaymemacallister.com. The story is a warm and thoughtful insight into self-expression, individuality, and friendship that combines a simple narrative with a powerful message: happiness comes from embracing who you are while appreciating what makes others unique. The next two books in Jayme’s proposed series, Afraid to Glow and Sometimes I Have Bad Days, are already in the works to be published soon.

Besides on her website, information about Jayme can be found on social media platforms @jaymemacallister. Meanwhile, her surviving wife Monette continues to keep Jayme’s legacy alive as she strives to reach audiences of families who will be entertained, informed, and enchanted with these children’s stories. Woodlands Online encourages readers to consider purchasing this first book as a perfect holiday gift to young readers.