Pasta John needs our help! Please contribute.

Dear All, Pasta John needs your help. I received a FaceBook post from Pasta John March 22nd that stated this:

“Coach Emory fired me after 26 years of service, that new company bon appetite never like me I'm depressed and devastated right now please pray for me.”

”Yes, I'm 63 years old who's going to hire a cook my age.”

”No they wouldn't let me say goodbye to my co workers and escorted me out the like a prisoner because of envious of my reputation at Emory, how was I threat to them please help me to understand because I'm in tears right now”

Pasta John has not asked me to create this GoFundMe page, I created it in hopes we can help Pasta John get securely into retirement. He doesn’t even know I have created this page.

For “anyone” that has met Pasta John knows deep down how much he loved the Emory community, in particular the students. He brought so much joy to each individual or group he would come across. His positive spirit was infectious, he would lift other’s spirits simply by being who he was, a selfless man that thought of others before himself.

As a former Coach in the Emory Community, he would drop by our practices and games simply to support our athletes. He knew our players by name and would greet them at the dining hall with a “Hey, hey, hey softball in da house!”. This was NOT part of his job description. I know factually he did this with all sports teams at Emory, that totaled 18 teams back in the day.

He also supported other students on campus with equal heart and passion. For example, I saw him walking to the bus stop after a long days work. He was tired. I asked him if he were going home and he said, “Coach, I’m tired yet I promised a group of fraternity guys that I would come back tonight to support their fundraiser.” I believe it was a sing off or dance event of some sort.

Little did the fraternity know that Pasta John had to take a bus ride home that was an hour time wise. He then returned riding the bus an house back to campus dressed in his dapper suit and cap to support the event. The event stopped late into the nighttime, and luckily the frat guys bought him an Uber ride home. However, he spent 3 hours on the bus in total that day, worked a full time shift, and supported a fraternity fundraiser honoring his word that he would be in attendance. All in one day, Saturday.

Lastly Pasta John everyday work day, for his am shift, would walk through a rough neighborhood just to get to his bus stop. In the hot summer or winters, cold and rainy weather, and sometimes with temperatures well in to the 20’s!

For all current and former Emory students, faculty, staff, and whomever that experienced Pasta John’s positive soul……it is time to secure his happiness, livelihood, and FINANCIAL SECURITY as he embarks on what is “supposed to be his GOLDEN YEARS.” Do you know that health insurance has been and on & off amenity for him during his lifetime. He is 63 years old, he should feel safe.

With that said, please…..please…..please help by donating and contributing what you can to express gratitude for what he has given to all. In the end, whatever he receives…..I bet he’d give you a big, “HEY, HEY, HEY……Thank you in DA HOUSE!”

Kindly asking,

Penny Siqueiros (former Emory employee)