, Matt Smukler set out to tell the inspiring story of his niece Christina Stahl, a high school senior and classic overachiever who balances honors classes, sports activities and a full-time job. But what makes Christina’s story quite remarkable is that she also cares for both of her parents, Sheila and Mike, who suffer from brain injuries.
“It was really eye-opening for me,” said Smukler, who, up until the making of the docu, had limited interaction with Christina’s parents and wasn’t fully aware of the responsibilities that she was shouldering. “That was just mind-boggling to me because I’d never really — I sort of knew that she was in charge to a degree, but I didn’t realize that she actually was processing this in such a way that she realized that she was the parent here.