Betty Cash, one of three people injured in a UFO close encounter near Huffman, Texas, on December 29, 1980, died on the 18th anniversary of the event, in Birmingham, Alabama.  She had been in poor health ever since the encounter. At the time of the event, Mrs. Cash operated her own businesses near Dayton, Texas.

Betty Cash, along with Vickie Landrum and grandson Colby Landrum, encountered a huge UFO accompanied by military helicopters on a dark road in the east Texas Piney Woods.  They were exposed to radiation from the object, which caused extreme medical problems such as burns, eye damage, hair loss, diarrhea, and vomiting.  Although they and others observed a large number of military helicopters along with the UFO, the U.S. Government refused to acknowledge the event or assist them in any way.

After the encounter, Betty Cash was hospitalized and treated for burns and the other maladies.  The extent of the injuries was so great, she was forced to close her businesses and never worked again.  He life became a series of hospital stays, many of them in intensive care.  Eventually, she developed cancer, which was
successfully treated.  In November 1998, Mrs. Cash suffered a stroke.  On December 29, during her recovery, an unusual turn of events claimed her life.

Mrs. Cash was a hero in the fight against government UFO cover-ups and brought hope to other victims of UFO incidents. She was devoted to family and friends and never allowed her illness to prevent her from helping others to cope with the trauma of UFO close encounters.

John Schuessler, MUFON's Deputy Director of Administration, and primary investigator of Mrs.Cash's UFO incident