"Real World's" Frankie Dies at 25

[bicentennial_baby]

Frankie Abernathy -- the punked-out, boat-phobic rock chick of MTV's "Real World: San Diego" fame -- died at the age of 25 on Saturday at her mother's home in Shorewood, Wisc.

Abernathy suffered from cystic fibrosis, though an official cause of death has yet to be determined, according to MTV News. During her stint in the "Real World" house, Frankie exhibited symptoms of cystic fibrosis, such as difficulty breathing and immune-system impairment, and it was a significant part of her storyline on the show.

Frankie had some tumultuous times on the show, and ended up leaving the house before the end of the season.


http://www.tmz.com/2007/06/12/real-worlds-frankie-dies-at-25/

This is sad. I remember this season, and wondered how long she would live...

[KitchenWitch]

1. CF is such a tragic illness

I never watched the show, but it is sad when one so young dies.

[bicentennial_baby]

3. She was a spunky girl

And truthfully, didn't take very good care of herself during the show's taping, but, with CF, you may just be living life to its fullest while you can. :shrug:

[emmajane67]

11. The only CF sufferer I've known did this.

I think she figured she would die young anyway so decided to live hard and die young.

[RevolutionaryActs]

2. So sad. I remember watching that season too

:(

[bicentennial_baby]

5. I always though she was so cute...

but tragic. x(

[SeattleGirl]

4. I didn't watch the show, but this is still very sad.

CF is a horrid disease. Sorry it took her at such a young age.

[bicentennial_baby]

6. I didn't realize that she was so young.

x(

:hug:

[bicentennial_baby]

7. A more complete article...

and heartwrenching as well.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1562302/20070612/index.jhtml

[driver8]

8. That is really sad. I really liked her. The one thing I didn't understand

about her was her smoking so much. Is it a good idea to smoke if you are that sick??

[VenusRising]

9. She was the main reason I watched that season.

I thought that she was just so interesting, at first. When they revealed her CF I was so sad for her. I thought she made a good decision to leave to spend time with the guy she loved. She had such a short future compared to the rest of us I wanted her to know that smitten and wonderful love as long as she could. She seemed to really love her boyfriend, so I was happy for her.

I hope that she had an easy passing and did as much as she could while she was here.

O8)

[WCGreen]

10. CF is really like the disease I suffer from....

In fact, many of the treatments that help me were developed for CF patients...

I feel bad for her because people with CF now are living well into their forties and fifties...

Not as automatic of a death sentence as it once was...

People treat their diseases as they see fit...

It's tragic that she put having a good time over carefully living a full life...

[ScreamingMeemie]

13. Unfortunately that is not always the case. Our neighbors

behind us recently lost their son at 13 to CF...after living as carefully as he could. Sometimes there is nothing one can do when the disease decides to ravage one's immune system.

[Katina]

15. that's what is so frustrating about the disease

We know two families who have members with CF. One family lost their first child at the age of 3. They did all the treatments and nebulizers and stuff, but nothing helped. His younger brother also has CF and he's in his late 20s. He started to get very sick a couple of years ago and had a very successful double lung transplant. He is now healthy.
The other family has a daughter with CF who is in her mid 40s and she is mostly fine. She has had some of the digestive tract problems and has had to have surgery for it, but her lung function is very high.
It not the death sentence it used to be, but it still takes too many people way too young. Did you all know that they now suspect that CF has an ethnic/genetic component and is more prominent in people of Scotch/Irish lineage?

[sniffa]

12. oh noz

:cry:

i Liked her.

[LostinVA]

14. That's the last season I really watched the show -- before it became Real World: Elimidate

That sucks.

[LynneSin]

16. My last season was Philadelphia - that was a pretty good year

but then again it was in Philly

[LynneSin]

17. OH NO - she really made Real World San Diego

Sometimes she was annoying as hell but you turned in next week just to see if she was annoying again

:cry:

[bigwillq]

18. That's sad.

I liked her.