Hello, it is with great sadness that I am announcing that one of my oldest brothers, Nkoli Bruno, has passed away. Coming from a very large family in the People's Republic of Congo, I am the baby of 22 siblings. With so many people, I have had many of my relatives pass away, including most of my older siblings, as very few left the country for Europe, and I'm the only one who came to live in the USA.

I don't normally ever ask for assistance for my family members. However, this brother is different. As the baby of such a large group of siblings, you know that my parents must have been very old, and my brother Nkoli was more like a father to me, bringing me to live with him and his wife in the army barracks in Brazzaville so that I could attend the children's school there.

The military in the Congo is not like the USA, and there is no assistance for burials. I really wish I could go there physically to help, but it's just not possible. Thank you in advance if you can spare anything to help my family bury my brother.

In the very near future, probably the end of this month or beginning of October I will be holding a Matanga (celebration of life) at my house with drumming and feast, etc, to help me feel complete with his passing.