Shari Franke: Everything You Need to Know About Shari Franke From Viral Videos to Real-Life Growth

On: April 10, 2025 5:25 AM

Shari Franke is a social media personality and a member of the Franke family, known for their popular YouTube channel, “8 Passengers.” She often shares insights into her life, family, and experiences with her audience. Shari is admired for her relatable, down-to-earth personality and openness with her followers.

Shari Franke: A Journey of Resilience, Voice, and Freedom

If you’ve ever stumbled across the world of family vlogging,
you might have heard of Shari Franke.
As the eldest daughter of Ruby and Kevin Franke,
who once ran the popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers,
Shari’s life has been anything but ordinary.
Today, she’s stepping into the spotlight—
not as a child of a vlogging empire,
but as a young woman reclaiming her story,
her voice, and her future.

Growing Up in the Public Eye

Shari’s childhood unfolded in front of millions.
The 8 Passengers channel, launched in 2015,
documented the daily lives of the Franke family—Ruby,
Kevin, and their six kids,
including Shari. With over 2.5 million subscribers at its peak,
the channel painted a picture of a tight-knit Mormon family navigating life’s ups and downs.
But behind the polished videos and smiling faces, Shari’s reality was far more complex.

In her recently released memoir, The House of My Mother:
A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom (published January 7, 2025),
Shari pulls back the curtain on what it was really like to grow up under the constant gaze of a camera.
She describes being bribed to share personal moments—
like a bra-shopping trip with her sisters at 18—for the sake of views.
What might have seemed like fun family content to viewers felt invasive and coercive to her as she got older.
“I’ve witnessed the damage of what happens when your life is put online,”
Shari told PEOPLE.
“There’s no ethical way to do it.”

A Turning Point

Shari’s story took a dramatic turn in 2023 when her mother,
Ruby Franke, and Ruby’s business partner,
Jodi Hildebrandt,
were arrested for aggravated child abuse.
The charges came after Shari’s younger brother escaped from Hildebrandt’s home,
revealing a horrifying reality of malnourishment and physical harm.
Ruby and Jodi were later sentenced to prison in February 2024,
each facing four consecutive terms of one to 15 years.

For Shari, this wasn’t just a shocking headline—
it was the culmination of years of concern.
She had tried to raise the alarm about her siblings’ safety,
even contacting Child Protective Services while she was away at Brigham Young University (BYU).
When the news broke, she posted on Instagram (later deleted),
saying,
“We’ve been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this,
and so glad they finally decided to step up.”
It was a bittersweet relief—justice was being served,
but the cost had been immense.

Finding Her Voice

Now 21, Shari is a political science major at BYU,
set to graduate in 2025.
She’s channeled her experiences into advocacy,
speaking out against the dangers of family vlogging.
In October 2024, she addressed the Utah House of Representatives, declaring,
“There is never a good reason for posting your children online for money or fame.”

Her words carry the weight of someone who’s lived it—
and she’s determined to protect other kids from the same fate.

Her memoir isn’t just a tell-all;

it’s a beacon of resilience.

Shari writes about the emotional and physical toll of her upbringing,

the influence of Hildebrandt’s extreme ideologies on her mother,

and her own journey to break free. It’s raw,

vulnerable, and inspiring—a testament to her strength.