Single Mom with Stage 3 Colon Cancer Asked Teen Daughter to Raise Little Sister with Down Syndrome (Exclusive)
Sarah Francati was a freshman in high school when she stepped in as her sister Emily's primary caretaker.
Sarah Francati was just 15 years old when her life took an unexpected turn. Her mother, a single mom, was diagnosed with stage-three colon cancer, leaving her with a lengthy and arduous treatment ahead. With the future uncertain and her mother incapacitated by chemotherapy, Sarah was asked to step up and help raise her little sister Emily, who has Down syndrome.
The sisters — who have a 10-year age gap — formed a mother-daughter-like bond over the years, and they've shared their story with millions in viral TikTok videos.
Despite the daunting task, Sarah rose to the occasion. The sisters, with a decade between them, developed a unique and profound bond. Their story, filled with resilience and love, has resonated with millions, going viral on TikTok and other social media platforms.
Today, over a decade after she started caring for Emily, Sarah is proud to see her little sister growing up, graduating high school, and heading for college.
Fast forward to today, and Sarah, now 27, looks back with pride as she sees Emily, now 18, thriving. Emily has graduated high school and is preparing to embark on her college journey. Sarah's dedication and unwavering support have played a crucial role in Emily's growth and independence.
When Sarah Francati was 15 years old and her mother was diagnosed with stage-three colon cancer, the teenager didn’t know how to care for a child. But Emily — Sarah’s younger sister, 10 years her junior, who has Down syndrome — needed a capable parent.
Recalling the early days of her caregiving role, Sarah admits she was unprepared. "I didn't have someone who was like, ‘This is what you do, step by step,’" Sarah remembers. "I was like, ‘Well, I know what to do with my other siblings. I've done that. Can't be much different.’"
Their family dynamic was atypical from the start. Sarah, Emily, and their middle two siblings are technically half-siblings, as their mother conceived them all using different donors. Despite their age gap, the eldest and youngest daughters were always particularly close.
The family's unique dynamic added another layer of complexity. Sarah and Emily, along with their two middle siblings, are half-siblings, conceived using different donors. Despite this, Sarah and Emily shared a special bond from the beginning.
"I remember telling my mom, ‘Everything is going to be okay. Whether you believe it or not, it will be,' " Sarah tells PEOPLE, recalling her childhood days spent helping out their mother at home. "Then fast-forward, our mom was diagnosed when I was in high school, my freshman year.”
Sarah's early promise to her mother that everything would be okay became a reality as she stepped into the role of Emily's primary caretaker. Her mother's battle with cancer was long and arduous, but Sarah's determination never wavered.
“She was sick for years, in and out of the hospital,” Sarah says. “Emily and I grew incredibly close. I graduated high school early so I could be home, I could be present.”
The years of caretaking brought Sarah and Emily even closer. Sarah graduated high school early to be more present for Emily, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to her sister's well-being.
Backed by little parenting experience, Sarah cared for Emily with only minimal adjustments based on her Down syndrome.
Despite her lack of formal parenting experience, Sarah adapted quickly to Emily's needs. "If she needed help [it] was available to her, but there were never limitations because mainly I didn't know," Sarah explains. "I have never looked at her and thought to myself, ‘Oh, I need to hide her away. Oh, I need to infantilize her. I need to treat her like a child.' "
Sarah fully immersed herself into her maternal role, to the point where Emily even addresses her as “mom” sometimes. And when their actual mom’s cancer started to get better, Sarah still didn’t step away from her caretaking responsibilities.
Sarah's dedication was total, and Emily often refers to her as "mom." Even as their mother's health improved, Sarah continued to play a central role in Emily's life, ensuring her sister's needs were met.
Such's dedication proved especially important though, because her mom’s period of remission was punctuated by a series of five strokes. While she’s technically in remission and is now able to help look after Emily at their home in Rochester, New York, Sarah maintains that her mom is forever impacted by illness.
Her mother's remission was marred by a series of strokes, further highlighting Sarah's indispensable role. Though their mother is now able to help care for Emily, Sarah acknowledges the lasting impact of her illness. "I tell people to this day: yes, she's in remission and yes, she's here, but it's not the woman that raised me. She's not completely well, and chemo brain is a very real thing," Sarah explains.
“I wasn't going to take her away from Emily. That was never part of the goal,” the former nurse-turned-teacher tells PEOPLE. “I wanted her to be present with her biological mom. There's study after study showing the importance of that. But for a good 10 years, it was just me and her.”
Sarah's goal was never to replace her mother but to support Emily's relationship with her. "I wasn't going to take her away from Emily. That was never part of the goal," Sarah says. "I wanted her to be present with her biological mom. There's study after study showing the importance of that. But for a good 10 years, it was just me and her."
Sarah notes that she only ever resented her premature role as a parent once, when she was in nursing school during her early 20s. While people her age enjoyed the “college experience,” Emily’s older sister lived off-campus, at home, working to graduate early and commuting back and forth for her classes at nursing school.
Reflecting on her journey, Sarah admits there was a brief period of resentment. During her early 20s while in nursing school, she envied her peers' college experiences. "Now I see the other side and I'm like, I don't regret that at all. I didn't need it… I was given such a greater job," she says.
Years after college, Sarah learned something that made her see her family situation as even more than that, too. After extensive fertility testing, she found out that she is unable to conceive biological children. Such a diagnosis, Sarah knows, can make women feel “incredibly lonely,” but she feels lucky to have experienced motherhood regardless.
A later revelation further solidified Sarah's sense of purpose. After discovering she is unable to have biological children, she found solace in the motherhood she had already experienced. "There's other ways to feel like a mom," she says. "Even though that's not the ‘title,’ I've been so lucky to have the opportunity to feel like one for 18 years."
Today, as now-18-year-old Emily finishes high school and prepares to leave for college, the proud big sister can appreciate how her work paid off.
As Emily prepares to embark on her college journey, Sarah looks back with immense pride. "She knows that she has Down syndrome, she's very aware of her disability, but she's hyper independent. I mean, she functions like a teenager," Sarah says, adding, "I think that's how every person should be able to have a life. Disability or not, they should know that they have opportunities."
The sisters have shared their story online in a number of viral TikTok videos, and their online community has created opportunities for the duo to step onto a larger platform. In 2022, Sarah and Emily walked the runway at New York Fashion Week, modeling clothes by Jacqueline City Apparel.
Their inspiring story has not only touched hearts but also opened doors. In 2022, Sarah and Emily made a memorable appearance at New York Fashion Week, walking the runway for Jacqueline City Apparel. "I realized it didn't matter if I gave her juice instead of formula. It didn't matter if I put two diapers on her instead of one. It didn't matter if I put her in boy clothes," Sarah reflects. "She's here. She's thriving. We did it."
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Their journey is a testament to the power of love, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between sisters. Sarah and Emily's story continues to inspire, reminding us all of the strength that can be found in the most challenging of circumstances.