Frances DiLeva Memorial
Donation protected
Dear Family and Friends,
We are beyond devastated to announce the passing of our best friend, mom, and grandma, Frances D. DiLeva, on Friday February 21, 2020. She died peacefully asleep in the same spot her husband, Gennaro, died sleeping on February 5, 2018. She had been struggling with severe dementia, congestive heart failure, stage 4 kidney disease, loss of sight in her left eye, and many more ailments. We have found slight comfort in understanding she is finally not suffering and is back with the love of her life in heaven. It feels as though we are not only grieving the loss of her but him again because we had to be strong for her to live without him for 2 years and 2 weeks. Frances suffered a massive heart attack in June 2018 and had her heart stop during a procedure to clear a couple of arteries on the right side of her heart just to breathe slightly again. She had fully lost the use of the left side of her heart by the time she would allow us to call 911. The doctors and nurses were amazed at her strength and attitude for how truly sick she was. They all knew what the three of us and our grandfather in heaven knew, that she was God’s miracle. Only someone who had been touched by the hands of God could survive as long as she had with refusing medical care and treatment for over 20 years. During those 20 years, when her husband and the three of us would beg her to let us call a doctor it would result in an angry outburst and her grabbing her chest and couldn’t breathe. In those many moments we would be utterly terrified to lose our best friend that second that we would be forced to immediately drop it.
Unfortunately, the time has come, her loss has left our hearts completely broken. Frances was our everything. Our worlds from day 1 revolved around making her feel the unbreakable and eternal bond with the three of us. We spent every day of our lives talking to her, creating memories, and being her caregiver when her health started failing after her ulcer in early 2000 when she began adamantly refusing any type of medical attention. We had spent uncountable hours trying to explain to her the need her financial affairs in order after Gennaro passed away because they did not have much in the first place and had barely enough to get by as it was. While he was alive, he pleaded with her constantly to get it handled because he was so scared that this would happen. After her massive heart attack, we again spent innumerable hours trying to explain the need to get her financial affairs in order. During her last hospital stay the cardiologist had brought up to us that it was time get everything taken care of and to start looking into Hospice or Palliative Care. However, due to her dementia and declining mental capacity at an alarming rate she could not understand the need or how extremely important it was to get her affairs taken care of before her time came. Now, that she is not suffering anymore and is at peace with her one true love, we cannot afford to cover funeral expenses and the legal fees to not lose what little we have.
We feel extremely sorry to ask for help at this difficult time, but we have absolutely no other options and no finances. Please donate if you are able. We are wholeheartedly grateful for every donation and prayer we receive.
The services for Frances DiLeva will be held at All Souls Catholic Mortuary in Long Beach, CA on Thursday March 12, 2020 at 1:00 pm.
Love,
Debbie, Andrew, and Danielle Matthews
We are beyond devastated to announce the passing of our best friend, mom, and grandma, Frances D. DiLeva, on Friday February 21, 2020. She died peacefully asleep in the same spot her husband, Gennaro, died sleeping on February 5, 2018. She had been struggling with severe dementia, congestive heart failure, stage 4 kidney disease, loss of sight in her left eye, and many more ailments. We have found slight comfort in understanding she is finally not suffering and is back with the love of her life in heaven. It feels as though we are not only grieving the loss of her but him again because we had to be strong for her to live without him for 2 years and 2 weeks. Frances suffered a massive heart attack in June 2018 and had her heart stop during a procedure to clear a couple of arteries on the right side of her heart just to breathe slightly again. She had fully lost the use of the left side of her heart by the time she would allow us to call 911. The doctors and nurses were amazed at her strength and attitude for how truly sick she was. They all knew what the three of us and our grandfather in heaven knew, that she was God’s miracle. Only someone who had been touched by the hands of God could survive as long as she had with refusing medical care and treatment for over 20 years. During those 20 years, when her husband and the three of us would beg her to let us call a doctor it would result in an angry outburst and her grabbing her chest and couldn’t breathe. In those many moments we would be utterly terrified to lose our best friend that second that we would be forced to immediately drop it.
Unfortunately, the time has come, her loss has left our hearts completely broken. Frances was our everything. Our worlds from day 1 revolved around making her feel the unbreakable and eternal bond with the three of us. We spent every day of our lives talking to her, creating memories, and being her caregiver when her health started failing after her ulcer in early 2000 when she began adamantly refusing any type of medical attention. We had spent uncountable hours trying to explain to her the need her financial affairs in order after Gennaro passed away because they did not have much in the first place and had barely enough to get by as it was. While he was alive, he pleaded with her constantly to get it handled because he was so scared that this would happen. After her massive heart attack, we again spent innumerable hours trying to explain the need to get her financial affairs in order. During her last hospital stay the cardiologist had brought up to us that it was time get everything taken care of and to start looking into Hospice or Palliative Care. However, due to her dementia and declining mental capacity at an alarming rate she could not understand the need or how extremely important it was to get her affairs taken care of before her time came. Now, that she is not suffering anymore and is at peace with her one true love, we cannot afford to cover funeral expenses and the legal fees to not lose what little we have.
We feel extremely sorry to ask for help at this difficult time, but we have absolutely no other options and no finances. Please donate if you are able. We are wholeheartedly grateful for every donation and prayer we receive.
The services for Frances DiLeva will be held at All Souls Catholic Mortuary in Long Beach, CA on Thursday March 12, 2020 at 1:00 pm.
Love,
Debbie, Andrew, and Danielle Matthews
Organizer and beneficiary
Danielle Matthews
Organizer
Lakewood, CA
Debbie Matthews
Beneficiary