The Magic of Mrs. Rigsby - A Teacher's Journey

Anyone lucky enough to meet Jessica, even briefly, has experienced her bright smile and generosity. What you may not know is that while smiling and going out of her way to help others, she has been battling terminal breast cancer. After fighting terminal cancer hard silently for now seven years, Jessica now needs us to fight for her - even with great insurance, medical debt can be crippling.

Please take a second and read more of her story below. Jessica and her family's journey was showcased on the hit TV Show Random Acts, and can be viewed here 

The Magic of Mrs. Rigsby 

With nearly two decades of service as a teacher, Mrs. Rigsby has touched and impacted the lives of thousands of students. Her positive attitude, radiant smile, and natural love and compassion for others has been spread widely for us all to feel. Like a heavenly trail of hope and love, her sparkly pixie dust has been spread and gifted to uplift others, warm hearts, provide hope, and create a love learning in all her students. If you've met Jessica, youve felt it - you felt different. 

The messages and comments over the last week of hospitalization have proven this, and have all come together arranged as a beautiful mosaic of Mrs. Rigsby's life of service. With so many of the people, former and current students asking, we wanted to create a way for us all to show her our love. 

Due to Jessica's terminal diagnosis, her husband Josh left his business career and joined Jessica at Founders Classical Academy as a teacher, so they might spend more time together last year.  Josh, or now better known as Mr. Rigsby, joined Mrs. Rigsby and taught Biology, while also working as the campus academic counselor.

The Rigsbys taught in classrooms just doors apart, making a huge impact on all they served. At the same time, they were able to spend valuable time together as a family with thier two beautiful daughters. Mr. Rigsby hasn't left her side in the hospital yet. 

As of today, both Josh and Jessica are out on medical leave from teaching. This is going to take its toll on the family and their financial reserves. 

Why $50K dollars - how did I come to that number? 

This was something we thought hard and prayed about. With the impact that she has had on so many, we thought what better way to support this family then help provide an approximate yearly salary for her as a teacher. This will help alleviate the stress that has and will continue to come to the Rigsby family as they focus their efforts on Jessica's treatments, appointments, and additional surgeries in the days ahead. I know it seems like a lot - but she has given all she has to each of us - let us now give her some magic back at a time when she needs it. They would never ask.

Jessica's story told by her husband, Josh:

 I’m not sure exactly where to start, and even if I wanted to - it's hard to think about at this point in our journey. Let me start by telling you a little about Jessica. 

Jessica, or “Mrs. Rigsby” as some of her biggest fans call her, always knew she was going to be a teacher. Jessica was a swimmer and competed in both water polo and swimming in college, later working as a lifeguard and swimming coach. She graduated college early and started working right away, teaching in some tough areas of Los Angeles.

Out of all the stories she has shared with me about this time in Los Angeles, one has always stayed with me. She told me of how she would go shopping for a small pantry drawer in her desk. A special drawer that was filled with lunch food, snacks, and treats for emergency student situations. Many of the students she taught would only eat food at school, and that meals for these students at home were routinely skipped due to poverty.

Fast forward a decade and we were married and living in Frisco, TX. Our oldest daughter was now 4, our youngest 1 , and we were pregnant with our third. It was an exciting time. Over a period of a couple weeks, we had lost the baby, and while at the hospital, Jessica was referred for a mammogram due to a suspicious mass. Five days later we were told it was breast cancer.

The next year consisted of multiple surgeries, 16 rounds of chemo, daily radiation, and pink ribbons and tutus - a year later, she won! After ringing the bell at the cancer center, she walked out free and life would go on. And it did, for about six months.

The form of cancer that Jessica has is estrogen positive, meaning the female hormone, estrogen, feeds it. The medication that Jessica was taking was designed to lower her estrogen levels, and it wasn't working. The cancer had now spread. The cancer was now in her bones and spread throughout her body - now incurable.

Looking back now, I can see this terminal cancer chapter as a lonely one for her. The days of pink ribbons, tutus, and the “you’ve got this girl” motto were gone. It's a quiet dying phase - you don’t look sick, you're still on treatments, and you know the cancer won't ever go away. Those that did know you had cancer think you're in remission, and those that didn't know think you're joking when you tell them. This chapter makes me the saddest.

In 2021, Jessica returned to teaching at Founders Classical Academy in Prosper, TX, and her light was fanned once again. Her joyful countenance returned as she now had hundreds of students to love upon - and love them she did. I would hear stories and names when she would get home for the day, and she would tell me of the amazing students that she spent her time with. Unknown to her students, she was fighting for her life. Her daily chemotherapy continued, and she would slip away to oncologist appointments to continue treatments.

The next year, Jessica would ask me to join her teaching at the school, and we would get to spend everyday as a family - working together just doors apart: Jessica teaching math, while I taught Biology. We got to spend our lunch time and long drives talking - maybe sometimes with her just sleeping. It’s been such a blessing.

The past few months have been especially difficult for Jessica. As the new chemo medicine worked on the cancer cells, it has also been very damaging for her good cells. Jessica has fought through it, always saying that she just needed another nap, until her body couldn't take it anymore. Last week Jessica was admitted to the hospital, and has been fighting a battle we’ve never wanted to acknowledge. After some scary days and nights, Jessica is on the mend and her beautiful color is now returning.

We’ve been reminded that she needs rest, relaxation, and a more responsive husband to build the resilience needed to continue this fight. Rough days are still ahead; treatments and more surgery will be needed to halt the growth of the cancer - but we are in it together, with all of you.

One thing that has been evident along this journey is that we have never been alone. God has made his presence known as we’ve petitioned for His help. We’ve been blessed by so many individuals and families, and you are part of our journey.