Gypsy-Rose Blanchard, who made headlines after admitting to orchestrating her mother's murder, is set to be released from prison on December 28th. Blanchard, now 32, was sentenced to 10 years behind bars for her role in the stabbing death of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, in 2015. Dee Dee had forced her daughter to pretend she was physically and mentally disabled, leading Blanchard to believe she was terminally ill with the intellectual capabilities of a seven-year-old. The truth only emerged after Blanchard's boyfriend at the time, Nicholas Godejohn, stabbed Dee Dee to death in their Missouri home.

Blanchard's story caught the attention of pop star Taylor Swift, whose song “Eyes Open” inspired her to overcome her hardships. Meeting Swift is at the top of Blanchard's post-incarceration bucket list, and she has already purchased tickets to a Kansas City Chiefs game in the hopes of bumping into her idol. If that plan doesn't work out, Blanchard also plans to attend Swift's New Orleans concert during her Eras Tour next fall. TMZ reports that Blanchard has used commissary money sent by her father to purchase all of Swift's albums.

Blanchard's life after prison will be a stark contrast to the abuse she endured under her mother's care. Dee Dee faked her daughter's illnesses to gain financial support from various organizations. Blanchard's story has been the subject of podcasts, documentaries, and television specials, and was even portrayed in the Hulu series “The Act” starring Patricia Arquette and Joey King. Penguin Random House will soon release an ebook titled "Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom," in which Blanchard will share her own account of her tumultuous upbringing. The ebook is set to be published on January 9th.

Blanchard's case highlights the rare and disturbing psychological disorder known as Munchausen by proxy, in which a caregiver fabricates or induces illness in a dependent for attention or sympathy. In this case, Dee Dee forced her daughter to pass herself off as chronically ill in order to obtain sympathy, disability payments, and gifts from charities. Blanchard's release from prison marks the beginning of her journey towards freedom and the opportunity to share her own story with the world.