My name is Lionel Franco Jr. and at the moment of writing this, my dad (Leonel Franco Ortega) has passed away. I'm his only son and he loved me very much. He doesn't really have anyone else but me. This is my first time doing a GoFundMe, but my dad was a special person. He was a very outgoing person and loved to meet and talk to people. He was the nicest person you could ever meet.

Words can't explain what I'm going through at this moment. I have never lost anyone in my life, so this is a first. But I pray to God and thank God for giving me a dad figure in my life. He showed me respect and responsibility and what it is to be a man in this world. He suffered through a lot the past couple of years, from having diabetes to going to dialysis and surviving and living through amputations. My dad was a really strong guy mentally and physically. Today, I got the call that he has passed away from a heart attack at the age of 62. He is finally in peace and I know he is looking down at me right now from heaven. He is in peace and I love him very much.

If you want to donate, it would help me out extremely. I don't make a lot of money and I work at a minimum-wage job, barely getting by, so all these donations would be helpful towards the funeral. Thank you for your time and a reminder to all those who have loved ones: one day you can be talking to them, the next day they are gone. Value their time and the moments because it's only limited. Thank you for reading this.