Mom of 8 with Stage 3 Breast Cancer Breaks Down in Tears After Unexpected Call From School Nurse (Exclusive)

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Misty De La Cruz was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer in September 2024 after discovering a lump during one of her monthly self-exams.

In May 2025, the Maryland-based mother of eight received an unexpected call from her son’s elementary school.

Over the phone, a nurse explained that the 10-year-old was frequently exhausted during school hours, telling the staff he’s afraid to fall asleep most nights in fear that his mom might pass away overnight.

De La Cruz filmed her emotional reaction to the heartbreaking phone call on TikTok, amassing over 3 million views.

De La Cruz, who is battling the side effects of treatment while trying to maintain a stable family, says the emotional toll cancer takes extends far beyond the physical. For her, it’s not just about surviving, it’s about holding together a household deeply affected by fear and uncertainty.

“As a parent you try to be strong for your children, but they watch you slowly change into someone completely different,” De La Cruz tells PEOPLE exclusively.

After her diagnosis, the 43-year-old sat down with her older children and was honest about what she was facing. It took a bit more time to have that conversation with her younger son.

When she finally did, De La Cruz spoke with him one-on-one, gently explaining what cancer is and how it would impact both her health and their daily lives.

“He was crying, and the only thing he asked was if I was going to die,” she recalls. “I tried to reassure him that the doctors were going to do the best that they could do to make sure that that didn’t happen. But ultimately, there is never a promise from anyone, but I was gonna fight as hard as I could.”

As months pass by, De La Cruz can no longer manage simple tasks she once took for granted. For example, standing in the kitchen to cook meals for her family is now a struggle. Chemotherapy has taken a serious toll on her body, and she often has negative reactions to the treatment and feels the side effects almost immediately.

“You lose all sense of humility or embarrassment because there are days when you can’t even wash yourself and need assistance,” she explains. “The debilitating pain from the neuropathy makes it impossible to even stand up at times. The bone and muscle pain from the injections made me need to use a walker at 42 years old because I couldn’t even stand up on my own.”

Working to cover basic expenses is also difficult, but even more heartbreaking is not being able to take care of her younger children when they’re sick. She also has to miss her kids’ activities because her weak immune system makes even a minor illness potentially life-threatening.

“You just feel helpless and useless and a burden all at the same time,” she candidly tells PEOPLE.

While her children’s schools were informed early on about her illness and have offered unwavering support, receiving a call from the elementary school nurse left her in tears.

“It’s one of those calls no parent wants to receive,” De La Cruz says. “The feeling is gut-wrenching. It’s almost like someone knocked the wind out of you, and you really don’t know how to react to it. All I could do was cry.”

When her son got home from school, she made sure they talked and decided that therapy was the best route for him.

“I allow my son to ask all of the questions he wants to ask, and I answer them honestly. I don’t believe in tiptoeing around something or masking what the situation really is,” she reveals. “We’ve had open discussions about my chances of survival as well as how it’s going to change our lives on a daily basis.”

Yet, no matter how sensitively she approaches the topic, De La Cruz still senses that her children worry about losing her. “It doesn’t take away the fear and a child’s eyes as they watch the person who’s always been the strongest in the household become the weakest,” she admits.

De La Cruz has told each of her children that if they ever felt the need to talk to a professional, she would gladly arrange it.

When it comes to creating small moments of normalcy around the house, De La Cruz says sticking to a routine helps a lot.

“No matter how sick I am, every Sunday our family has a Sunday dinner,” she reveals. “Usually, I’m the one to do all the cooking, but we’ve had to improvise.”

She’s had to rely on her children more than ever, especially in the kitchen, as she can no longer stand for more than a few minutes at a time. Nevertheless, cooking together brings them joy.

What she’s learned through cancer is this: be honest with your children. Let them feel what they feel— anger, sadness, confusion. “Everyone grieves differently,” she says, “and this is a grieving process. You won’t be the person you were before cancer.”

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One of the hardest but most important lessons was learning to accept help. As someone deeply independent, leaning on others felt unnatural at first. But she came to understand that “it doesn’t mean you’re weak… It just means you’re human – and even the strongest humans need help.”

She wants others to know that the financial toll is real and often hidden. “A lot of people fail to understand that just because you physically survive cancer, it doesn’t mean that you emotionally mentally or financially survive it,” she emphasizes. “I had to create a GoFundMe to attempt to not lose our home due to the unbelievable cost of trying to survive.”

Her advice to others facing this journey is to speak openly, accept support, and don’t be ashamed to ask for help. Survival isn’t just about your body – it’s about your whole life. And healing takes time.

Read the original article on People