John Albert DeRosa

UPDATE: October 1, 2023 - My mother, Mary Ann Donahue, has secured a burial site at Riverside Cemetery in North Reading, Massachusetts. The location is within viewing distance of the headstones of my stepfather, Paul Donahue, Uncle Chucky, and Uncle Pete. This is the same cemetery where most of our Arsenault relatives (using my mother's maiden name) are buried, including our grandparents. We are now considering options for a proper headstone.

My mother and I would like to thank everyone for their compassion and support in raising money for my brother's memorial. This gesture means a lot to all of us. While my mother may not express it to many, she has visited this cemetery every week since my stepfather's passing. The memory of my brother and his place in our hearts is now memorialized here. For that, we are forever grateful.

Original Post: My name is A.J. DeRosa. I am raising funds to memorialize my brother, John DeRosa. The suddenness of his passing and subsequent funeral expenses have strained our family's finances.

I want to share a story that captures John's character. While I was in high school, John worked at a warehouse. A colleague's wife was battling terminal cancer. This colleague had exhausted all his leave to be with his wife during her final days. Left with the tough choice of either returning to work or quitting to be with her, my brother felt compelled to intervene. He proposed that employees donate their sick and vacation leaves to this man. When the management declined, John rallied the staff, and under the threat of a collective resignation, the management relented. This is a way for the universe to pay this type of kindness back.

John didn’t always make the best choices for himself, but he consistently chose to help others, even if it came at his own expense. Words cannot adequately convey the profound impact he had on so many lives, including mine.

Helping fund his gravesite and headstone is but a small way for the universe to recognize his immense kindness. Although John only lived to 45, his life touched countless hearts. Every contribution, no matter its size, counts. On behalf of our family and all those who cherished my brother, thank you for your support.