Help the Andoni Family

Dear Plato Academy Friends,

At one of our campuses we have a husband and wife janitorial team that have been serving Plato Academy for years. Mr. Petrikas (Petros) Andoni and his wife Mrs. Violeta Andoni immigrated here in July of 2015 in order to give their son, Dhimitri Andoni (their only child, then 19), a better opportunity and life here in the United States. Within a month, he and his wife received their Green Card. In August of 2016 they began working as our awesome janitors at the Clearwater Plato Academy.

Their precious son Dhimitri excelled. He spoke 5 languages: Italian, French, German, English, and Greek. He quickly earned his Bachelor’s degree from USF and was enrolled in the Master’s program there for the same major. Throughout this time, on many evenings, he would show up at Plato Clearwater to volunteer his help to assist his parents in cleaning the building. One evening in September of 2018, Dhimitri pulled over to help someone in a stranded automobile on I-275 in St. Petersburg. After they realized they could not repair the car, the driver of that automobile left the scene. While Dhimitri was getting ready to leave, another driver crashed into him, throwing his body into a ditch. The other driver fled. Dhimitri’s body wasn’t discovered until the next day.

Mr. Petros and Mrs. Violeta came to America for the sole purpose of providing a Dhimitri with a better life. They succeeded. Dhimitri was being recruited by many impressive companies, with one offer more attractive than another. But, his success was tragically short lived because of his act of kindness. Dhimitri was posthumously awarded his Graduate Degree in Business (he was on the Dean’s list, 3 months shy of graduation).

The only thing that now matters to Mr. Petros and Mrs. Violeta is to pay the residual amount of $9,000 for their son’s tombstone. They are both working 2 jobs of modest means. He said this is the final offering he and his wife want to give to his son. Like before, they are both sacrificing a lot on their meager income to do just this. Petros came to us for help after stoically saving and putting hard earned money aside for two years. We now appeal to our Plato Academy family for their Philotimo.

At Plato we have been teaching that the spirit of the word “Philotimo” is the love of giving/showing honor to others, not just saying it. The suffix “timo” is a verb (first person) meaning “I honor” something without expecting anything in return. The prefix “philo” is one of the 3 ancient Greek words for love. We are appealing to all of the Plato Family to embrace giving love and honor to one of our families who is in a painful struggle and trying to find closure with the tragic loss of their son who is buried, but whose grave is not yet memorialized.

This urgent appeal is an opportunity to put what we teach about Philotimo into actual practice. Not to self-aggrandize, but to serve others, especially those in need or in pain. As we always say that we are “a family” this appeal is an opportunity to show to ourselves that we are who we say we are, by helping with our Philotimo.

No matter how small or how big, please make whatever donation is appropriate for you. Together, let’s show that we live what we teach about being a Plato family and show our Philotimo. On behalf of Mr. Petros and his lovely wife Mrs. Violeta, thank you for honoring the memory of their son Dhimitri.

On behalf of all of our leadership at Plato, thank you for your Philotimo. In particular, thank you to board members Louis Kokkinakos and George Antonaklas for each contributing $1,000 toward our goal of $9,000, leaving $7,000 left for us to raise. Any contribution is deeply appreciated.

Respectfully,

Matt Gunderson

CEO

Plato Academy Schools