I have had a hard time reading this. Teresa deserved the right to live her life. Her parents set her up to be able to do so. Her other family members decided they didn't want to take care of her and did everything in their power to subvert Teresa's and her dad's wishes. Absolutely unbelievable, even to the point of going after their own father and trying to take advantage of his limitations that they exaggerated to prove their case. I don't understand how we live in a society willing to just throw people away, especially our loved ones, just to make their own lives easier. Franke gives us a raw and unvarnished look into their family and the situation that unfolded, but also highlighting Teresa as an individual with rights and feelings and her own wants. As hard as this journey must have been for them, I applaud Franke and Bill's fight for Teresa, and thank you for sharing this with us all. Teresa.....keep on shining!!!
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jackie Blackmore, Lauren Potter, Dayleigh Nelson, Cynthia Potvin, Bill Mackie, plus seven others. I appreciated hearing different voices as well as a realistic representation of Teresa. Very well done!!
*I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

This story serves as a powerful memoir with many emotional and ethical nuances, in addition to highlighting the importance of disability rights advocacy and belief in human potential. There are so many sides to consider, and this story delves into complex family dynamics, forced care, systematic prejudice, ableist attitudes, human dignity, moral/family obligations and rights of disabled individuals.
The audiobook version was gripping and represented the emotional nuances well, including the heartbreak, confusion and joy.

Many thanks to the publisher for the audio review copy, via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

This is an important story with some valuable lessons, but I don’t think it was told as effectively as it could have been.

The audiobook uses different narrators for each character, which I found distracting. Additionally, the book is very dialogue-heavy, with many conversations feeling quite repetitive. It often seemed like the story was written specifically to be performed as an audiobook, which detracted from the overall narrative. The author frequently followed long strings of dialogue with brief, flat commentary like, “This was upsetting,” or, “It made me sad,” which didn’t make for engaging storytelling.

While the latter half of the book improved, the beginning was frustrating. Much of it centered on the siblings’ intense debate about where Teresa should live if their father could no longer care for her. Although the siblings proposed solutions that were suboptimal for Teresa’s future growth and potential, they had clearly been grappling with these decisions for a long time and were trying their best given the circumstances. The author strongly opposed their ideas but initially opposed taking Teresa herself, instead suggesting solutions that were perhaps impractical given the potential urgency of their father’s health situation. While I didn’t agree with many of the actions siblings’ actions, I could understand their frustrations, especially if they felt that they were shouldering much of the administrative and caretaking burden. It’s a good reminder that there are always multiple sides to every story.

Overall, this book sheds light on the capabilities of individuals with disabilities and the failures of our current systems. It provides a very personal and genuine perspective on the challenges of navigating these issues.

"Freeing Teresa" presents a profound narrative focused on Franke James, an environmental advocate, as she grapples with her siblings' intention to institutionalize their disabled sister, Teresa Heartchild, in a nursing home. Teresa, who has Down syndrome, has enjoyed a fulfilling existence under the care of their father; however, following his death, her siblings contend that institutionalization is the most suitable solution. Franke, appalled by this resolution and cognizant of the neglect commonly observed in such facilities, embarks on a mission to prevent Teresa from entering a nursing home, perceiving it as an environment that would strip her sister of joy and independence.

The narrative develops into a compelling familial conflict, illustrating Franke's unwavering commitment to safeguarding Teresa's rights and dignity against the opposition of her siblings, the medical establishment, and even law enforcement. In the course of their struggle, Franke proposes to care for Teresa herself, jeopardizing her relationship with her siblings and their shared inheritance. The text underscores the emotional distress experienced by families navigating similar dilemmas, spotlighting the broader civil rights concerns regarding the living conditions and treatment of individuals with disabilities.

Ultimately, "Freeing Teresa" functions as both a personal memoir and a wider commentary on the societal obstacles confronting people with disabilities. It delves into themes of love, resilience, and the pursuit of autonomy, while also illuminating the often exploitative characteristics of the caregiving industry. Franke James’ journey stands as an inspiring testament to the lengths one will go to advocate for family and the right to determine one’s own life trajectory, rendering the narrative both relatable and intellectually stimulating for readers.

My first ever NetGalley review!

Excited about joining NetGalley and keen to get going ; I chose this book for a number of reasons, I loved listening to audio books during the pandemic but I struggle to find time now life is back to "normal', so wanted to try and get back into them. Out of a limited number of read now books , I liked the cover. It was relatively short, and the synopsis sounded interesting. Unfortunately, I do find North American accents a little irritating on occasion when listening to audio books, so I did worry a little about that! The book itself more or less lived up to these expectations.
The plot is essentially a large family are worried that their elderly father , may not be able to care for their sister with downs syndrome (Teresa) much longer have to decide what to do about her care. Ultimately they end up putting her in a nursing home without Teresa's or her fathers consent. It's then up to Teresa's sister Franke to "free" her sister.
As expected I did find the narration quite annoying, particularly the main narrator/Franke partly I think because the real life Franke I expect is quite annoying! In a good way you don't build a career as an environmental activists by sitting quietly in a corner playing nice! There are also parts of the story that very badly needed edited, in one part Franke talks about being in Darcy's bedroom but at that point you have no idea who Darcy is! Other times she explains things time and time again.
It's also very one sided, The author does acknowledge this in the epilogue but it would have been nice to have had a little bit of balance. Franke also talks a lot in book about empowering Teresa , and how she should have been involved in decisions affecting her life yet it still feels a lot like Teresa is a side character in the book.

Ultimately I'm glad I read this book it's a story that definitely needs told. If the rating was out of 10 I'd give a solid 5 , out of 5 though it has to be a 2 .
Thanks too the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for ARC , all opinions are of course my own

Thank you to The James Gang, Iconoclasts Inc. | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for allowing me to read and review Freeing Teresa A True Story about My Sister and Me by Franke James on NetGalley.

Published: 08/13/24

Narrators: Jackie Blackmore, Lauren Potter, Dayleigh Nelson, Cynthia Potvin, Bill Mackie, plus seven others.

Stars: 3

I found this to be more about a dysfunctional family from the perspective of the least active family member than a memoir on disabled persons and their living needs.

Throughout, knowing I had to leave a review I struggled with what to say. The bottomline is Franke intimidated and browbeat her siblings and their spouses. It was difficult to read. The siblings live in the reasonable world every day unlike Frankie who just shows up when it's convenient.

As for the multitude of narrators I didn't notice. They worked seamlessly.

In my experience people like Frankie are exhausting, and she was here in her telling.

I was so frustrated throughout this book. I worked in healthcare and I totally get all of the red tape and issues that this book lays out. It’s also really difficult dealing with family in extremely stressful situations. I’m so glad that the end of the book was a redemption. Somewhere in the middle I felt a little repetitive but at the same time that’s probably exactly what they were going through just hitting wall after wall trying to do the best for Teresa. I did very much enjoy this book and I think it’s eye-opening for people who don’t know much about special needs and , how the system works for end against you at the same time.

Freeing Teresa, written by Franke James, is the story of Franke and her husband Bill, and their right for her sister Teresa’s independence. Teresa is a middle aged woman with Down Syndrome, and as their father ages, Teresa and Franke’s siblings are unsure what to “do” with him and Teresa. Franke believes that Teresa should continue to live with family, or in a supportive community, where as most of her siblings are fighting for both Teresa and her father to go into different forms or nursing or care homes. Franke and her husband must stand up for their beliefs, as well as for what they think is right for their family.

I loved this book! I think it is a very important read. I loved that Franke recognized how important it was to follow the wishes of her father and sister, and also really appreciated how she spoke to disability rights activists to make sure that she was supporting Teresa in the best way possible. This book did make me emotional at times, and think about my own parents and experiences, and how to best support those that I know and love.
I look forward to sharing this recommendation with other individuals interested in inclusive practices and seeing the ability in everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the author, publisher, and narrator of this book for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The narration on this one is so much fun! I love it! The story had me crying. I learned a lot too. It was information I needed.

Freeing Teresa by franke james chronicles a very difficult period of time in her family's lives where Franke had to go from artist and climate activist to disability advocate and navigate some very difficult social systems. Teresa is in her late 40s, enjoys attending day programs and loves sharing a condo with her elderly father. Franke and Teresa's other siblings are all somewhat involved in hers and their father's lives, but have very differing ideas on what is best for their futures, especially once some of the siblings begin to believe that more care is needed for their father.

I really appreciated the way Franke carefully documented the many challenges she came up against in trying to advocate for her father's and Teresa's goals and aspirations for this next stage in their lives. All the way through it was very clear that listening to what Teresa and their father wants was paramount to Franke and is in line with inclusive practices. Unfortunately their siblings did not see the importance of this kind of person-centred planning. It is really difficult to navigate social systems for elderly and/or disabled adults who are in need of some support to be relatively independent, and finances can impact which services or choices families have open to them. That being said, family members who are charged with making decisions on another's behalf (ie. power of attorney) have a duty to make choices that are in the best interest of the family member they are representing, and must consider what the person wants, not just their own idea of what they may need.

The only downside for me was that there were some times in story when there was a focus on Franke's other activism and political challenges when I felt that the focus should be shifted more to Teresa, but at the same time I understand why the author would want to share her successes and challenges in that area as well because it gave some context.

The audiobook was well done and easy to listen to. The narration was good and helped tell the story.

I was sad to see the book end, and am looking forward to the follow up story that was mentioned at the end, as I really need to find out what happens next in this family! Thanks to Netgalley and the author for giving me the chance to read and review this memoir!

* Some small spoilers ahead
This is a tough one to review. Another reviewer called the author an unreliable narrator, and while I wouldn’t go that far, I did find it hard to sympathise at times.
There are always two sides to a story and I try hard not to form opinions without hearing both. I found some of what the author was saying hard to believe and contradictory, for example, in the beginning she was adamant that Teresa could not live with her, then at some point it became an honour for her have her sister live with her.
It is also hard for me to believe anyone could think it would be in the best interests for a 91 year old to be the caretaker of an adult with Down syndrome. I feel like we were not being told the whole story and only shown the glossy side of Teresa and how wonderful she was. Only once was it mentioned that her personal hygiene was an issue, I wondered why it would be considered acceptable for her elderly father to be left to deal with that.
Her father was also portrayed as being of sound mind and not at all frail, but there were mentions of her siblings receiving up to 30 calls a day over trivial matters. I guess what I’m saying is it’s hard to form a full picture of exactly what was going on with only one viewpoint.

That said, if I take the author at her word, I was absolutely furious with the treatment of both Teresa and her father. How can people who supposedly love them, not include them and respect their wishes for their future in the decision making process? It blew my mind how callous they became and the lengths they were prepared to go, to get their own way. It seemed to end up being more a battle to beat Frankie at any cost rather than what was best for their loved ones, with little concern for the emotional wellbeing of those concerned. What was their motivation if not financial? The lesson I took away from this was to be very, very careful about giving anyone power of attorney.

While I enjoyed the story and found myself cheering on Bill and Franke, I found the book to be quite repetitive and felt frustrated when the author repeated herself in case we missed it the first time. I feel the story just stops without any real resolution. After the fight her siblings put up, I doubt it all just stopped, but to find out, I need to read the next book. I’m very interested in knowing what became of both Teresa and her father but not enough to read a further instalment.

With thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my copy of the audiobook for review.

This was an interesting memoir as a family struggles to figure out the best route of care for their sibling with Down syndrome while their father’s health is deteriorating. I listened to the audio version of this book. For the first time, I think I would have preferred a single narrator rather than a full cast. I believe it would have made the story a bit more impactful since this is a memoir. I found parts of this story very frustrating as the siblings fought over Teresa’s care without her input, but I do I appreciate the message this book represents. I know we’re only getting one side of the story, but I was left with many questions of how some of the decisions were made and what the relationship between all the siblings looked like after the book ended. This book is a good representation of the struggle many families of individuals with disabilities have gone through. Individuals with disabilities deserve a say in their care as much as anyone else does. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Freeing Teresa in exchange for an honest review.

Teresa is the seventh of seven children and she was born with Down Syndrome. At the time, in the early 1960s, the conventional medical advice for babies like Teresa was to be institutionalized. Untraditionally, her parents decided to keep Teresa at home and raise her with the rest of the family, just as they were doing with their other children. Teresa had a good life, living at home, going to school, and growing up in the community. She could read and make wise decisions, but could not live alone. It’s now Forty-nine years later, and Teresa’s mother has died. Even so, Teresa is living happily with her father and they have become a team. Dad is now in his nineties and is still in good health, both physically and mentally. But knowing his days are numbered, he has a long-term plan for Teresa. When it is no longer feasible for dad and Teresa to stay together, she would move in with her brother, who had promised to take her. Now, that brother was having second thoughts, so some of the other sisters come up with an alternate plan. They decided that Teresa should be put into a nursing, government-funded long-term care home.

Franke immediately objects, saying that Teresa is young and healthy and living with residents in their final days is not the right placement for a high functioning Down syndrome adult.

Working against Teresa’s case, was the commonly accepted fact in the medical community; people with Down syndrome are prone to early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Knowing this, some other siblings started worrying and talking about Teresa’s “strange behavior.” So, they had Teresa assessed by a care agency social worker. After meeting Teresa and listening to the stories of her siblings, it was concluded that Teresa was suffering from rapid cognitive decline. But the diagnosis was based on false information, simply proven wrong by the fact that Teresa has successfully lived for ten years in the community. Still, the unfounded diagnosis had a devastating effect on Teresa’s life. It was determined that Teresa was no longer capable to live without professional care and Teresa lost her right to decide where she lived.

Franke did did not believe any of this and Teresa’s way of life proved it. Franke and her husband offered to take Teresa into their home in an effort to stop the plan. But the siblings, who said they had all decision-making power and were acting as Teresa’s legal “guardians,” rejected Franke’s offer. Then, they took Teresa and had her put into a nursing home. The siblings did not tell what they were doing until it was actually happening. But four days later, Franke was able to manage Teresa’s discharge from Long-term care and brought her back home. That’s when the siblings called the police and family drama got truly ugly!

Bottom line Teresa was able to stay in the home with Franke and Bill.

Franke, Teresa and Bill have a lot of support in the disability community. They spent 10 years preparing this tumultuous memoir with the world.

Warning the story may infuriate you as there are a lot of sides to the issues.

I am so happy Teresa is spending her life in the home of her family. .

If you are like me and wanted to know more about this special woman, here is a link.

https://www.teresaheartchild.com/

I really enjoy reading memoirs and this one kept me riveted even though I was not a fan of a cast of narrators. The dad’s voice seemed especially stilted. Teresa’s voice though was spot on.

Thank you so much for giving me the chance to listen to this audio version of this ARC.

Really enjoyed it and felt the pain of the dad. Sad that families can end up like this but it was informative and moving.

Definitely one I would recommend

Sometimes I find memoirs very difficult to review and this is one of them. It really bugged me that Franke would not even listen to her siblings' option of the nursing home. To me it felt like her siblings had been doing all the care for her father and sister and then all of a sudden Franke decided to come in and change everything. I'm not saying that is what really happened but that was the way it came across to me. After this issue is out of the way, I did enjoy the last half of the book more and I do want to read the follow up book to see how things end up for Teresa.

I listened to this one. It has a cast of characters which I normally love but I am not sure in this case. Since it is a memoir, it felt like it should just be the one voice to me.
Thank you to NetGalley for the audio arc!

This book is very interesting. As an audio book, it is very engaging to listen to because in addition to a narrator to read the part of the author, Franke, there were also narrators reading lines of dialogue to voice different characters in the novel. I loved that an actress with Down syndrome was reflected to read Teresa’s lines.

The main crux of the book is essentially a family dispute that spins out of control and results in institutionalization for one family member and threatened institutionalization for another. Ageism and ableism run rampant.

One thing that I felt was missing at the end was information about whether Franke, her father, and her sister had reconciled with the other members of her family. I also felt that the author failed to really explain why her siblings behaved the way they did. It isn’t very clear to me whether she doesn’t know why or doesn’t care, but I don’t think I would be able to let that question go even after everything was settled. I also thought that it got a little repetitive - the author and her siblings sort of went around and around in circles for much of the book. As infuriating as I found their assumptions about the lives worth living that they were deciding to limit, I did feel like it could have been cut down a little bit.

This book reminded me of a documentary that blows your mind. You can't believe the injustice that some people are so quick to lay out.

Teresa is a woman living with her elderly father. She has Down Syndrome and she lives a full life. But lately her older siblings are worrying about what will happen to Teresa when their father passes. Franke is an environmental activist and she is dedicated to Teresa and her father living a happy life. The other siblings want to put Teresa in a nursing home despite Franke's research showing that this will not give Teresa a fulfilling life.

It was hard to hear the reactions/responses from the other siblings. But I also wondered how it took so long for Franke to offer her own home. But! That is a really easy judgement for me to make when I have never been that position. I would read more about their story!

The book is narrated by many people and it helps to show what it is like having a bunch of people talking, sometimes yelling, at once. The full cast: Jackie Blackmore, 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.

If you are interested in learning more about the fight against ableism, I recommend checking out Freeing Teresa. Thank you to NetGalley, Franke James, Teresa Heartchild, Billiam James, all the narrators and The James Gang, Iconoclasts Inc. I have written this review voluntarily.

A true story of a family at odds with what to do with Teresa, their sister with down syndrome and their elderly father after their mom dies.

I have worked in group homes and school with people with disabilities all of my adult life. While I think group homes can be a wonderful answer for some, I was rooting for Franke, the only sibling who didn't want to have Teresa and her father go to homes, separating them against their will and the lengths she took to do so.

I enjoyed this book and the the complexity of having family who don't agree with one another. I also thought it was sad that some may have been doing what they thought was best for them and not Teresa.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.

I picked up this book to get a glimpse into the world of ableism, down syndrome, and other intellectual differences. The inside look into the struggles of advocating for basic human rights, such as where they live, was eye-opening. Systems to protect individuals can be, are, often biased. We all lose in a world where only certain types of people have the right to speak up.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC.

Title: Freeling Theresa
Author: Franke James and Billiam James
Format: 🎧
Narrators: Jackie Blackmore, Dayleigh Nellson, Bill Mackie, Paila Hoffman, Rob Cottingham, Sidika Laarbes, Geoff Sugiyama, Laurel Bailey, Divina Soriano-Leacock, Justin Smallbridge and Kashiyap
Publisher: The James Gang, Iconoclasts Inc/Independent Book Publishers Association (IMPA) Members’ Audiobooks
Genre: Biography/Memoir
Audiobook Release Date: August 13, 2024
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Pages 344

I was drawn to this book as I remember how excited my niece as well as the rest of the family was when we found out she was having a girl after two boys. Also remember when she was told the baby had Down syndrome and it was early enough so she could terminate the pregnancy. She didn’t have to think about it – No, of course she would not!
I have watched this adorable little girl grow - become an active teen. She brings joy, love and hope to everyone she meets.

Oh Yes! I was sure this was going to be an emotional story.

This book is written by Franke James and it started ten years ago. In 2013,
Franke and her husband, Billiam James, set out to help Franke’s younger sister Teresa who has Down syndrome to, regain her decision-making rights, and not be placed into a nursing home. Teresa stayed with their father but after he died; the other siblings, who were acting as Teresa’s “guardians.” And insisted they had all the power and wanted Teresa to be placed into the government care system.
I want to thank NetGalley and The James Gang, Iconoclasts Inc/Independent Book Publishers Association (IMPA) Members’ Audiobooks for this audiobook.
Audiobook Publishing Date was August 13, 2024.