Tessa Hauser

Hampden, ME – Tessa Lee McCue, beloved Mother, Sibling, and Daughter died unexpectedly on November 23, 2022, in Hampden, ME at the age of 37. Her passing is a tremendous loss to her family, her loved ones, and to the community, but above all, to her daughter Kaira, who she loved and protected fiercely with all her might. Along with her daughter, Tessa is survived by her parents, Debra and Carl McCue, siblings Michelle MacDonald, Jesse McCue, Daniel McCue, and Christian McCue, and a tremendous network of friends and family.
Tessa was born with a powerful spirit and a drive to live life to the fullest. At a young age, Tessa suffered from a heart condition, requiring open heart surgery at the age of four; however, by the time she was nine-years-old, she won two gold medals at the New England Figure Skating Championships and went on to compete at the national level. By the age of twelve, she was just one step away from the Junior Olympic team, before succumbing to injury. Not to be deterred, Tessa bounced back and excelled with the help of Olympic coach, Barbara Kossowska, to win many medals at the junior ladies level, including a gold medal at the Providence Invitational. She then went on to compete at the senior ladies level until the age of 21 with Russian Olympic figure skating coach, Alexei Ulanov, before she transitioned into modeling and acting in Los Angeles, CA. However, she never completely left skating behind as she continued to offer lessons and coach part-time for the rest of her life. Throughout her skating career, her command of the ice would have an impact on many who watched her perform. To put it in her own words from an article written by the Bangor Daily in 1997, Tessa said, “Her drive to improve on the ice came from a love of skating, more than a need to win.”
The great turning point and happiest moment of her life, that led her back to Maine, was the birth of her daughter, Kaira. From that moment on, her main motivation was to share life and be with her little girl. Together they shared a love for animals, especially horses, often adopting and taking care of pets of all kinds. Even through hardships and struggles, Tessa was a fighter until her last breath. She will be remembered for the bright light she gave to the world, her love and devotion for her daughter, her infectious humor, her beautiful smile, her willingness to open her arms and help people of all walks of life, her fighting spirit, and her love for her family. Her family loves and misses her greatly and will make sure that her story lives on through a foundation that they will be setting up in Tessa’s honor to further her legacy. Like the patron Saint Therese, she will continue to protect and guide us all from above.
Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingSmith.com.