From José, Founder of One Michigan

I’m writing this because the youth from One Michigan came to me heartbroken after hearing what’s happening to Samantha and her grandfather, Frederick Magdaleno, and they asked me to help them create this GoFundMe.

Fred wasn’t just Samantha’s grandfather, he was part of our One Michigan family and a grandpa to ALL of us.

He was a Vietnam-era veteran and a State of Michigan employee for fifty years, but more than that, he was a man who lived his life serving others. He taught kids how to do their taxes, coached baseball, volunteered his time, and showed us all what kindness and humility look like. He never drank, never smoked, and was always the first to offer help when someone needed it.

Fred believed in community, and you could feel that every time you walked into our 1 Michigan office. He helped us paint, build new stairs and lights, and rebuild the office space. The kids loved him deeply. He wanted that office to be a safe space for learning, growing, and rebuilding, and the kids worked hard to make that dream real with his guidance.

Samantha was his only caregiver through his fight with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. She provided every meal, made sure someone was with him every six to eight hours, and took him across states for treatment. She had to stop working completely and even cut her law school schedule in half to be by his side. Driving 3 hrs each day she went just to be by his side by the night time on school days. He was told he had two months to live, but together they fought as a team, and he lived two years, two weeks, and one day longer.

Before he passed, Fred prepaid for his burial through Woodmere Cemetery so Samantha wouldn’t be left with the cost or stress. But now, just days before his burial, they’re refusing to proceed unless she pays an additional $3,000+, in fees that were never explained or itemized. Another family has reported going through the same thing.

Samantha is preparing to use her law school tuition money to cover this cost just to make sure her grandfather can be laid to rest this Friday. That means she’ll have to find a way to replace that money to stay enrolled next semester and finish her degree.

The youth came to me because they wanted to help. They love Samantha for everything she’s done for them and want to honor the man who inspired her. I promised Fred that I’d always look out for her, and this is one way to keep that promise.

If you can donate or share this, please do. Every dollar helps make sure Fred gets the burial he earned and Samantha can continue the path she and her grandfather started together.

Thank you for helping us honor his legacy and keep his spirit alive.

#JusticeForFred #OneMichigan #VeteransDeserveBetter #ForFred #WoodmereCemetery