Eric "Frank" Frankman Open Heart Surgery

Hi, my name is Mimi (Frankman) Layton and I am raising funds to help out my brother Eric Frankman. You probably know him as "Frank" or "Uncle Cranky". He's been diagnosed with a very severe leaking heart vessel and will undergo open heart surgery on Wednesday, January 25th.

Frank has been involved in the entertainment industry for about 35 years as a bus driver. He's loved every minute of it (well, maybe not every minute) and has had so many adventures and met so many amazing people. Unfortunately, this kind of work is contract work and he does not include insurance or paid sick time. And we just found out that he most likely won't be able to go back to his work until 2024. This puts him and his family in a severe financial bind.

If you know Frank, you know he's the life of the party. His laughter is infectious! But you also know he loves to help people. He loves to go above and beyond for everyone, especially the people who have had the pleasure, over the years, of being on his bus.

You probably also know that Frank doesn't like to ask for help. Just before the doctor said he needed the surgery, the family found out their insurance company had gone bankrupt and they would no longer have coverage. By the time he would be able to switch companies, the surgery was already scheduled and it was easier and more affordable to pay out of pocket. No commentary on our healthcare system, just my big brother needs help!

The funds will go to pay for his initial heart exploratory surgery, his open-heart surgery, his salary while he's out of work for up to a year, and any additional medical bills that always seem to end up on the invoice.

Anything you can do - whether to donate any amount or spread the word - is greatly appreciated! We love Eric and we want him to be able to get the surgery he needs and be able to recover without this huge financial burden hanging over his head.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart (and the leaky valve of his!),

Mimi Layton

Frank's "Baby" Sister