Freeing Teresa

A True Story about My Sister and Me — by Franke James

Videos

Watch the Freeing Teresa Book Trailer: You’re Not Afraid

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The Freeing Teresa book trailer, “You’re not Afraid,” uses actors’ voices from the full-cast audiobook and mixes them with video footage from the day in 2013 when we rescued Teresa.

Voices from the Audiobook

Lead actor Jackie Blackmore (who plays Franke) said, “Reading Franke James’ story and listening to the actual audio recordings of the family discussions was a haunting and transformative experience. I was deeply maddened by the discrimination Teresa faced, but then inspired by Franke’s determination to defend her sister. The scariest thing is that this is a well-documented, true story. Franke was like an embedded journalist, recording everything as it happened.”

The dialogue in the book trailer is taken from Chapter 16, “They Can’t Send Her Back.” Franke (voiced by Jackie Blackmore) is on the phone with her older sister Siobhan (voiced by Paula Hoffmann). Franke is trying to convince her sister that the family should consider other housing alternatives for Teresa. Their conversation is bookended by excerpts from Teresa’s own poem, “Those Monsters.” Lauren Potter, who plays Teresa Heartchild, reads the poem. We also added a music soundtrack, “Call of Fate” by Alex Besss, highlighting the dramatic conflict between the sisters.

Video from the Actual Events

For the memoir’s trailer, we used the video footage from the actual day we helped Teresa get free. That was ten years ago! And as we were using an iPad, the videos are not crisp. They are low-resolution and jittery. It is a cinema verité record of what actually happened.

In the book trailer, we contrasted this historic footage with video clips of a female actor, talking on the phone. Shown only as a silhouette, her figure is a visual cue for Siobhan. The subtitles, which overlay the scene, are the actual text from the book.

Freeing Teresa Audiobook

Listen on Audible, Spotify and More

Head over to audible.com, where you can listen to the first five minutes of the book.

Get the Freeing Teresa audiobook on:

Freeing Teresa is a true story about disability, sisters, and standing up for the right to be yourself. It’s brought to life by a full cast of thirteen actors. Jackie Blackmore stars as Franke James and the lead narrator. Lauren Potter, who starred in the TV series Glee, plays Teresa Heartchild.

If you prefer print, the paperback and ebooks are available on Amazon, Bookstore.org, and most online bookstores.

Assume That I Can

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On March 21, 2024, World Down Syndrome Day, Coor Down, launched their worldwide campaign, Assume That I Can, with the support of six international Down Syndrome associations, including the Canadian Down Syndrome Society. The breakthrough video starring actor Madison Tevlin went viral.

“Our negative assumptions about people with Down syndrome can lead us to treat them in such a way that these assumptions become reality. In sociology, this is called a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’. Why not reverse our perspectives? If we have positive assumptions about people with Down syndrome, we’ll give them more opportunities in their schools, workplaces, relationships and activities. And maybe these positive assumptions will become reality.” YouTube Link

Teresa Heartchild, Assume That I Can video, March 21, 2024

Madison Tevlin inspired Teresa’s true life video!

Madison’s video inspired us to create a video for Teresa Heartchild for World Down Syndrome Day that told Teresa’s story and how she upended assumptions in her own life!

“Ten years ago, people assumed my sister’s life at 49 was over. Teresa Heartchild fought back. 25,000 people signed her petition. Her supporters sent a public letter to the Ontario Minister of Health. Finally, the government apologized,” says Franke James. “Now Teresa is free. But thousands of others are getting put into nursing homes showing that what happened to Teresa is not a rare event. She represents the tip of an iceberg.”

Although, the old institutions have closed, the sad reality is that today there are thousands of young people with disabilities who are forced to live in nursing homes. This is a key civil rights issue for all people with disabilities—the right to decide where you live. As the UN Special Rapporteur Catalina Devandas-Aguilar said, “The deprivation of liberty on the basis of disability is a human rights violation on a massive global scale.”

Read the award-winning book Freeing Teresa: A True Story about My Sister and Me by Franke James, with Billiam James and Teresa Heartchild. It tells how low expectations almost closed the door on Teresa’s future.

Freeing Teresa audiobook cover in orange

Freeing Teresa is also available as an audiobook narrated by Jackie Blackmore. The full-cast includes Lauren Potter, Dayleigh Nelson, Cynthia Potvin, Bill Mackie, Paula Hoffmann, Rob Cottingham, Sidika Larbes, Geoff Sugiyama, Laurel Bailey, Divina Soriano-Leacock, Justin Smallbridge, and Roshni Kashyap.


2024 Awards for Freeing Teresa


WINNER of 4 HUMAN RELATIONS INDIE BOOK AWARDS, 2024
Gold Award: Family Challenges
Gold Award: Special Needs (Disability Rights)
Silver Award: Leadership
Silver Award: Inspirational 

WINNER of 5 INTERNATIONAL FIREBIRD BOOK AWARDS 2024 (2nd quarter): Winner, Judge’s Pick
1st place, Social/Political Change
1st place, Special Needs (Disability Rights)
2nd place, Leadership

2nd place, Inspiration

#WDSD2024 #WorldDownSyndromeDay #EndTheStereotypes #assumethatican #FreeingTeresa

Soul Healing Sisters

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“Giving foot spas brought me closer to my sister with Down syndrome”

Teresa closes her eyes and smiles, saying, “Ahh, that feels good.” I agree; it feels great when I have my feet washed and toenails trimmed – I just never expected to give a pedicure to my younger sister with Down syndrome! And as those moments gradually added up over the last decade, I realized that we were both healing our souls as sisters.

“I became my sister’s carer overnight“

You might think I’ve always been the caregiver type, but no. I unexpectedly stepped into the role due to the difficult circumstances which I talk about in Freeing Teresa. Looking back, the moment of change was unexpected and fast. Without knowing what was happening, Teresa was taken away from our father and suddenly put into a nursing home by my brother. Teresa was traumatized, crying and scared. My other siblings said that she would be “safe” in the long-term care facility, but I was shocked. It certainly wasn’t what Teresa wanted. Thankfully we rescued her and she came to live with me. But it changed our lives forever.

“I’ve learned that good caregiving is just kindness”

And that’s when I discovered that good caregiving is really about kindness. After all the troubles we’d been through, I was willing to do anything to make her feel loved and wanted. I discovered that foot spas were a way to soothe both of us. And to heal our hearts.

Sole therapy that’s good for the soul

Franke James giving Teresa Heartchild a foot spa. Both sisters are laughing. Teresa is wearing floral leggings and a blue shirt. Franke is wearing a beige sweater and a red striped apron.
Teresa and Franke share a laugh during the Teresa’s regular foot spa

Ten years ago, I had no idea how much hands-on care I would have to do—and would want to do as Teresa’s caregiver. Now, one of her favourite things is getting a foot spa.

Read more in “Freeing Teresa: A True Story about My Sister and Me” and later in 2024, “Escape to Lotusland: Teresa Finds Her Voice.”