Frankie Abernathy
Encyclopedia
Frankie Jo Abernathy was a castmate on MTV's The Real World: San Diego
which was filmed in late 2003 and aired from January to June 2004. Hailing from Kansas City
, Abernathy was the elder daughter of Abbie Hunter and Joe Abernathy. She had a younger sister named Mamie, and a stepfather, Perry Hunter. She attended Blue Springs High School
in Blue Springs, Missouri
.
.
The first housemate Abernathy greeted was Jacquese Smith, with whom she first entered the Real World house, and with whom MTV believes she may have been the closest during their stay there.
Abernathy had cystic fibrosis
, which she was diagnosed with at the age of three. During her time on The Real World
, she showed many symptoms of the genetic disorder
, such as difficulty breathing and immune-system impairment. Her disease was a significant part of her storyline on the show. Of those living with cystic fibrosis, less than 50% live to the age of 37. One of Abernathy's sayings was, "Tomorrow is a privilege, so live today like tomorrow isn't happening."
Abernathy left the show before the end of the season, due to conflict with her roommates, and the strain of separation from her boyfriend.
Abernathy moved to Shorewood, Wisconsin
with her family in the fall of 2006. She began designing purses forged from old vinyl records, though she did not work full time. According to her mother, winter is a difficult time for people with the chronic lung disease, but the 2006 winter had been particularly problematic for Abernathy. Her illness had been worse than in prior winters, and the family considered trying to get Abernathy qualified to appear on a lung transplant list.
Abernathy died June 9, 2007, in Shorewood, Wisconsin, from complications of cystic fibrosis. She was 25 years old. She is the second alumnus of the The Real World
to die, Pedro Zamora
being the first. As with Zamora's struggle with AIDS
, Abernathy is credited by MTV.com with helping to raise national awareness of cystic fibrosis
and putting a face on the disease. Abernathy's housemates Jacquese Smith, with whom she was the closest, was particularly devastated by her passing and by having not kept in touch with her, as was fellow housemate Jamie Chung
. Abernathy's mother, Abbie Hunter, said about her time on the show:
A scholarship was set up in her name at her alma mater, Blue Springs High School.
The Real World: San Diego
The Real World: San Diego is the fourteenth season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow their lives and interpersonal relationships. The San Diego season...
which was filmed in late 2003 and aired from January to June 2004. Hailing from Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Abernathy was the elder daughter of Abbie Hunter and Joe Abernathy. She had a younger sister named Mamie, and a stepfather, Perry Hunter. She attended Blue Springs High School
Blue Springs R-IV School District
The Blue Springs R-IV School District is a school district that serves Blue Springs, Missouri in the State of Missouri. The district has an enrollment of over 13,000 students.-Schools:Elementary*Chapel Lakes Elementary School...
in Blue Springs, Missouri
Blue Springs, Missouri
Blue Springs is a city in Jackson County, Missouri and is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri. As of the 2010 census the population at 52,575.- Geography :...
.
The Real World: San Diego
MTV's promotional materials described Abernathy as someone who "likes to shock people with her appearance, date bad boys, party all night and dreams of being an artist." She was known for her taste in punk rock music, and her fondness for Hello KittyHello Kitty
is a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio, first designed by Yuko Shimizu. She is portrayed as a female white Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow. The character's first appearance on an item, a vinyl coin purse, was introduced in Japan in 1974 and brought to the United States...
.
The first housemate Abernathy greeted was Jacquese Smith, with whom she first entered the Real World house, and with whom MTV believes she may have been the closest during their stay there.
Abernathy had cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
, which she was diagnosed with at the age of three. During her time on The Real World
The Real World
The Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...
, she showed many symptoms of the genetic disorder
Genetic disorder
A genetic disorder is an illness caused by abnormalities in genes or chromosomes, especially a condition that is present from before birth. Most genetic disorders are quite rare and affect one person in every several thousands or millions....
, such as difficulty breathing and immune-system impairment. Her disease was a significant part of her storyline on the show. Of those living with cystic fibrosis, less than 50% live to the age of 37. One of Abernathy's sayings was, "Tomorrow is a privilege, so live today like tomorrow isn't happening."
Abernathy left the show before the end of the season, due to conflict with her roommates, and the strain of separation from her boyfriend.
After The Real World
After leaving the show in early 2004, Abernathy spent her time working at numerous retail outlets in Kansas City, working tattoo conventions with the Art Intensity Network, getting more tattoos, and spending time with her loved ones. She also appeared on the cover of the May 2005 issue of Prick, a tattoo magazine.Abernathy moved to Shorewood, Wisconsin
Shorewood, Wisconsin
Shorewood is a village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 13,763 at the 2000 census. Howell Raines of The New York Times said in 1979 that "[t]his maplestudded town on Lake Michigan dotes on its reputation as Milwaukee's most liberal suburb."-Geography:Shorewood is...
with her family in the fall of 2006. She began designing purses forged from old vinyl records, though she did not work full time. According to her mother, winter is a difficult time for people with the chronic lung disease, but the 2006 winter had been particularly problematic for Abernathy. Her illness had been worse than in prior winters, and the family considered trying to get Abernathy qualified to appear on a lung transplant list.
Abernathy died June 9, 2007, in Shorewood, Wisconsin, from complications of cystic fibrosis. She was 25 years old. She is the second alumnus of the The Real World
The Real World
The Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...
to die, Pedro Zamora
Pedro Zamora
Pedro Pablo Zamora was a Cuban-American AIDS educator and television personality...
being the first. As with Zamora's struggle with AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, Abernathy is credited by MTV.com with helping to raise national awareness of cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
and putting a face on the disease. Abernathy's housemates Jacquese Smith, with whom she was the closest, was particularly devastated by her passing and by having not kept in touch with her, as was fellow housemate Jamie Chung
Jamie Chung
Jamie Jilynn Chung is an American actress known to reality television audiences as a cast member on the MTV reality television series, The Real World: San Diego and its spin-off show, Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno II, and for her appearances in TV and films, such as I Now...
. Abernathy's mother, Abbie Hunter, said about her time on the show:
A scholarship was set up in her name at her alma mater, Blue Springs High School.