Help Danielle bring her brother home

Francis Ray Se Sison, that is the name of someone whom we dearly loved and lost so suddenly. He was a great son, brother, cousin, and friend to many of those lives he has touched. 

Born on September 12, 1988, he was the child my mother, Miles, and father, Ricky, had hopefully longed for after losing their first born, Cielo. He was my older brother, and will always be. We miss him so much. He died June 4, 2021. 

Everyone knew him as “Kuya”, “King”, and “Frankie”. He was extremely talented, he could sing, create beautiful sketches, and he had humor that could make you laugh no matter how down you were. He had the ability to uplift people by making them laugh uncontrollably. He loved his computer games so much, that it made him really skilled in finishing any game he wanted to. 

The last thing our family ever thought they would be a part of is a Go Fund Me page. Why? Not because real tragedies could not happen to us or because we frowned in any way on people’s motives - we just prided ourselves on self-sufficiency and thought we were prepared for anything.

Frankie’s mother traveled to the USA in search of a better life for her two children and began the process of petitioning for them. Danielle was approved in a few years after beginning the petition but Frankie was not yet approved leaving him thousands of miles away from his family. Like many immigrants who “come here legally,” Frankie’s mom, Miles, was patient and full of belief that Frankie would join our family at any time.

Frankie was approved late last year during COVID-19, after waiting for more than a DECADE, and it was just a matter of time before he could rejoin his mother and sister. Frankie suffered through bouts of depression and assured us every time we spoke that he was hanging on and would join us and start his new life which had spiraled into a darkness we might never understand. The critics who would shout in people’s faces to, “come here the right way!” or “go back to your country,” would never understand a mothers pain and guilt and despair over “doing things right” and reuniting her fractured family.

Well - Frankie lost his battle with depression and his torment won the battle and he left us permanently yesterday. His mother is now negotiating the newly, profit exploding -and price gouging travel industry, to travel to Manila to see Frankie one last time. DECADES - after petitioning the US Government and contributing by working for decades and patiently playing by the rules, will journey to handle family matters. Danielle,  who has tirelessly continued her career in the USA after earning her college degree , will also see her brother for the last time. The brother who was not lucky enough to have his petition approved at the same time his sister was approved and he remained alone and waiting.

Congress has directed a torrent of Covid relief to the Airline/Travel industry and even though Covid might have taught the Corporate giants a lesson in how the world can shut down and hamper your profits, they now mercilessly overcharge customers who are flocking back to the air. Frankie waited decades but if all goes well he will finally come home with his mother - unless the US government decides to make her wait decades to transport Frankie’s remains home. Frankie was a kind artistic soul who felt abandoned as a youngster but valiantly battled his demons until, at 32, he gave in and tragically ended his life. Our modest wish is anything you feel like contributing to assist in the painful handling and Covid quarantine nightmare that Frankie’s mom and sister are about to face. God bless you all and please keep Frankie in your thoughts, he texted his mom just a day or two before and told her he loved her and that he was doing fine. Her mother’s day was brightened and her relief every time she received good communications from Frankie was the tiny bit of hope that saw her through decades of this cruel fate. We miss you Frankie , we love you and will forevermore be heartbroken and we still want you home. 

We are hoping to reunite him as soon as possible with his family here in the US. We wanted him in our arms but the Lord has called him into his home.

The funding will help the family go back to the Philippines, to say their last goodbyes and for the arrangements of his funeral. The person in charge will be his sister, Danielle.