Liberty Ciccone

Liberty Luisa Ciccone (previously Snyder) is a fictional character on the daytime soap opera As the World Turns. The character was played by Meredith Hagner from April 24, 2008, through March 5, 2010, and by Sarah Wilson from March 15, 2010 until As the World Turns ended its run in September 2010.

Character history

The only daughter of Brad Snyder and Janet Ciccone, Liberty appears soon after her father's 2008 wedding to Katie Peretti. Her mother Janet — a high school girlfriend of Brad's — soon follows, and Brad and Katie initially think Janet and Liberty's paternity claims are false; a subsequent DNA reveals that Liberty is indeed Brad's daughter. She appeared as maid of honor at the wedding of her mother and Parker's adoptive father, Jack Snyder. She has also shown a talent for singing, while on a camping trip to bond with her father she began singing a song from the movie Enchanted. Brad was impressed by her voice, however she hasn't sung since.

When Liberty first moved to Oakdale, she was a wild child who constantly broke the rules, skipped school and lied to her parents. However, after meeting Parker Snyder who helped her study and showed her school was important, she has come to care about her grades and has even decided to go to college. She's also decided to follow her childhood dream of becoming a journalist, more specifically a fashion editor. Though her priorities have changed, she continues to be the same sarcastic, feisty and independent young woman she was introduced as, which often leads to her inability to stay out of trouble.

Liberty met Parker when, on her first day in town, he almost hit her on his skateboard. To avoid hitting her, he swerved and hit a tree, giving himself a mild concussion. Parker was automatically attracted to her, though at first she showed little romantic interest in him. Eventually, she gave Parker his first kiss and they had a flirtatious relationship, though Liberty was dating a boy from school named Dylan. Parker helped her with her summer school homework, usually completing the assignment for her, so he could spend more time with her. After about a month of doing her homework, Parker kissed her. Jack witnessed the kiss, but didn't think much of their relationship at the time. On July 4, Liberty broke up with Dylan after he stole video cameras from WOAK. She originally blamed Parker for ratting him out to Jack and causing Dylan to be arrested. Parker later went to explain to her how Jack really found out and he told her how he felt and they kissed and began dating.

They lost their virginity to each other on July 24. After their parents found out what the teenagers had done, they were forbidden to see each other. Brad put in place outrageous boundaries to keep them apart. Parker, however, continuously broke Brad's rules, going out of his way to see Liberty and eventually declaring his love for her. When Brad set her up on a disastrous date with a WOAK intern, a plan for Parker to see Liberty with another guy and forget about her, Parker saved Liberty from possible rape. Parker and Liberty were allowed to see each other again, as long as they are supervised by an adult. The teenagers have an on and off relationship, and often run off to be alone despite their nondescript romantic relationship. One day the two skipped school and almost started a fire in Carly's house while heating up a pizza and they were on the couch kissing, not paying attention to the pizza, when it began smoking. Because of this, they were once again forbidden to see each other, their parents' noting that they are extremely irresponsible, especially around each other. After Parker's parents threaten to send him to boarding school with J.J., he decided to run away and Liberty reluctantly went with him, after she tells him she loves him and doesn't want to stay in Oakdale without him. They were found, and returned safely (except for a bad scrape on Liberty's leg) back home, after a few hours by Craig and Lucy. The day before he would have gone to boarding school, Parker found a lawyer on craigslist to help him stay in Oakdale and remove Carly as trustee to his trust fund. It was decided they would take Carly to court and prove that she was not using his trust fund in his best interests. While Carly and Jack discussed the issue with Tom, Parker overheard that if he was an emancipated minor Carly would automatically be removed as a trustee and the money would be Parker's.

Parker proposed to Liberty on March 13, 2009. Believing it would be the only way they would be able to be together, he tells her he can access his trust fund if they're married and that he'll take care of her. Jack and Janet ran in and separated them before she could give him an answer, however during a phone conversation later, Liberty accepts and they decide to leave the state and go somewhere where they're allowed to be married without their parents' approval. Carly and Craig found out what they were going to do and went to stop them, but the scene Carly made at the judge's chambers made him certain that Parker and Liberty would be better off alone. They were married with Carly as a witness, even though she was trying to stop them. Jack and Janet also tried to stop them, but only came in time to see their first kiss as husband and wife. When they returned to Carly's house, Jack quickly kicked the newlyweds out. They spent the night at the Lakeview, courtesy of Craig, and did not make love their first night as a married couple. Parker was denied emancipation, meaning they will not receive his money until he turns 21. However, Craig was named the new trustee. Parker, thinking Craig would give him free rein of the trust fund, decided to look into renting an apartment with Liberty. When Parker tried to get the money from Craig for the rent of the apartment they'd decided on, he wouldn't write the check, nor would he continue to pay the bill for the suite at the Lakeview, where they had been living since their wedding night. Carly offered to allow the couple to live in her house, in Parker's old bedroom. After a brief discussion, they accepted. While moving Liberty's belongs to from her father's to Carly's house, Craig took her to look at Oakdale University. This resulted in fight between Parker and Liberty about their futures. Liberty walked out on him and stayed with Janet and Jack for the night. A few days later, Liberty comes back to house and forgives Parker after he convinces her to stay married. Craig realizes his plan A had failed so he set another in motion. Getting Liberty an interview for an internship at a fashion magazine in New York. Liberty is extremely excited, but Parker on the other hand thinks New york is too far. He soon decides he will live with her in New York all summer. Craig finds out the interview is the next day, Parker can not go because he has baseball try outs. Craig and Carly take Liberty anyway. Liberty nails her interview and gets the internship. She discovers she has to live in the dorms with the other interns. Liberty ultimately decides to turn to position down to save her marriage. She comes home late one day from a job interview and Parker becomes angry, Liberty tries of his possessive behavior and leaves him. When Liberty ignored a call from Parker one day, he lashes out and destroys the kitchen of the Snyder farm. Janet becomes worried for her daughter's safety and rushes an annulment. Their marriage officially ended no more than a month after they exchanged vows.

Liberty stopped taking Parker's calls after their marriage ended and nearly got a restraining order when he began stalking her, but she then realized cutting him out would be impossible as she still cared about him.

She left Oakdale that summer to intern at a PR firm in Chicago, but came home early after getting fired. Her confidence crushed, she begins to cling to Parker and they attempt to begin their relationship again.

Liberty and Parker make a date to go to a back to school picnic, but when he stands her up for a date Liberty finds him comforting Faith after her father's supposed death and misunderstands the embrace. Feeling rejected by Parker and insecure after being fired, Liberty seeks out Tony, a boy who had been making advances on her earlier, and she gets drunk and has sex with him. Later, she discovers the true reasons behind what she saw between Parker and Faith and realizes the mistake she made with Tony and vows to never see him again. Soon after, her aunt Teri found a positive pregnancy test among Liberty's belongings and Liberty tells Tony she's pregnant, though he adamantly denies that he's the father. Janet mistakes Liberty's mood swings and morning sickness as the flu and asks Teri to take her to the doctors, where they learn that Liberty is indeed pregnant. Teri begins to discuss options with Liberty, but she had already made up her mind to get an abortion. With help from Craig, they go to an abortion clinic in Chicago, Janet thinking Liberty had gone to look at schools with her friend, Mac; but they discover an appointment is needed and the earliest possible time would be the next day. After Janet realizes Mac is still in town, she calls Liberty and orders her back home. The teen gets on the first bus back to Oakdale, but soon returns to Chicago with Craig and Teri, this time with an appointment at the clinic. Janet finds out about the clinic from Rosanna, who had found a pamphlet at Craig's hotel room, and both assume Teri is pregnant with Craig's child, though once in Chicago Janet realizes her daughter is pregnant, as Liberty, alone at the clinic, prepares for the procedure. Janet rushes to the clinic and gets there just in time to stop Liberty then takes her back to Oakdale. Though Liberty remains insistent that abortion is her best option, she decides to wait to make a final decision. Everyone, including Parker, who had stepped into the role of father, had opinions of what Liberty should do with her baby, but ultimately only he and Brad choose to stand by her no matter what her decision might be.

When the Ciccone's "uncle" Ralphie came to town, he was able to convince Liberty to put her baby up for adoption. His lawyer found a couple who was unable to conceive and set up a meeting between Liberty and the couple. However, when Paul and Emily Ryan walked into the room, Liberty's parents and stepparents immediately cut the meeting short, telling Liberty they are the last people she wants her baby to be adopted by. As usual, Liberty insists on making her own decision and she and Parker go to Paul and Emily's home to talk to them in private. She decides that she wants them to raise her baby, which results in a fight with her mother and Liberty running away to Paul and Emily's house, moving in with them for a time. Despite Liberty being set in her decision about the Ryans, Janet continues to look for other couples and she finally settles on what she believes is the best solution to their problem - that she and Jack adopt the baby and raise it as their own, as Liberty's baby brother or sister. Liberty refuses to sign the adoption papers when Emily inadvertently makes her miss the SATs and returns to her mother's house, also refusing to let Janet adopt the baby. With everybody around her trying to make her mind up for her, she quickly begins to feel suffocated again, which she confides in Parker about. He takes it upon himself to get her out of the house and bribes Craig and his aunt Roseanna to get his trust fund, and rents an apartment for her and the baby. Their plans go awry when Craig refuses to let Parker access his trust fund after all and they lose the apartment. Once again unsure of her future, Liberty decides once and for all to go through with the abortion. Parker drives her to the clinic in Chicago, though once outside she begins to stall and takes a walk to clear her head. They walk into a park where a group of kids are playing football and Liberty gets hit and passes out. She was rushed to the hospital, where she discovered she'd lost the baby.

Liberty suffers further devastation, when she also loses her father after an accidental shooting. She blames her uncle and stepfather, Jack, for Brad's death, which she does not try to keep secret. Jack temporarily leaves his family to go soul searching and when he returns Janet gladly welcomes him back home, though Liberty's hatred for her stepfather had only deepened in his absence. After watching the pain her mother went through while Jack was gone and shocked that she took him back so willingly, Liberty threatens to move out if Janet doesn't leave Jack.

Liberty eventually begins to fail classes and decides to drop out of high school, shattering her dream to go to college. On Christmas Eve, Brad appears to her and tells her to keep going to school. He points out a star to her, telling her he'll always be there for her when she needs him. Seeing her father lifts Liberty's spirits and she apologizes to her mother, speaks to Jack for the first time since Brad's death, calling him "Uncle Jack", and continues to go to school. She was tentatively accepted to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, though for her acceptance to be official she must compile a portfolio of her work, which she turns to Carly for help with. Liberty follows Carly, Jack, Sage and Parker to Detroit, where Sage is participating in a beauty pageant. She later discovers it is all a plan to split her mother and Jack up and for Jack and Carly to get back together. She was originally furious with Parker, who was in on the plan with Sage, but she forgives him and they decide to go on a hike until the pageant is over. They eventually get lost and while trying to find a way back to the hotel, Parker falls on a rock and cuts his leg. As he loses blood, his health rapidly deteriorates until he can hardly walk. The two manage to find shelter and cuddle together to keep warm and they both express that they've missed being together. They nearly kiss, but Parker passes out from blood lose. Liberty eventually found a way for them to get safely back to the hotel and both were flown by helicopter back to the hospital in Oakdale. Parker was treated for a fractured leg and quickly released, whereas Liberty, who was physically unharmed, was kept for observation. After running a series of blood tests, Liberty's doctor tells Janet she has leukemia.

After learning of her illness, Liberty escaped from the hospital to avoid treatments and, by extension, admitting to herself that she has cancer. Dusty found her and let her blow off some steam by breaking windows in a building he owned then let her hit him until she collapsed in his arms, crying. She's become determined to make the cancer "blink first" in this game of chicken. Janet urges Liberty to tell her friends about her illness when she returns to school and she skips what was supposed to be her first day back and goes to see Parker. She initially tried to seduce him, but he quickly stops her and forces her to talk to him. She told him about her illness and, though he thinks she's making a terrible joke at first, he vows to help her beat it.

She was eventually sent to Minneapolis for special treatments, which Dusty paid for. As her immune system shuts down, her doctors put her into an isolation bubble, where she has no physical contact with any of her family or friends. She eventually refuses all visitors except for Parker, who flies out to visit her every weekend. Janet, desperate to save her daughter, talked Jack into getting her pregnant so Liberty would have a bone marrow donor. Eventually, her blood cell count rose enough that she was considered healthy enough to leave the bubble. She immediately went home to Oakdale so she could be with her mother.

She meets a mysterious young man named Gabriel while out with Parker one day and appears instantly attracted to him. Parker gets jealous and admits that he's still in love with her, though she wants to be just friends with him. He continues to show up at her doctor's appointments to support her, until eventually she comes escorted by Gabriel. During that appointment, she learns her cancer is in remission and she immediately hugs Gabriel. When Gabriel is caught in a fire and ends up in critical condition at the hospital, Liberty keeps vigil at his bedside just as Parker had done for her when she was battling cancer.

Liberty begins a relationship with Gabriel, nearly ending her friendship with Parker. Parker and Gabriel butt heads over her, as Parker doesn't believe Gabriel is good enough for her and even tells him she's only seeing him because she feels sorry for him. Parker, who knows Gabriel is a thief and might get her into trouble, tries to talk sense into Liberty. She continues the relationship, believing Parker is making up lies because he is jealous. She nearly sleeps with Gabriel, but stops, telling him she's not ready. Gabriel tells Parker a different story, suggesting they had been intimate several times.

External links

• Liberty Ciccone profile - SoapCentral.com