Hi Everyone,

As you may or may not know by now, last Friday, my younger brother, Claude, lost his best friend, partner and spouse, Roderick Garcia. Roderick retired from the city of New York, Human Resources Administration Department of Social Services, after 32 years of service. He is sorely missed by his family, friends, and former co-workers.

Claude and Roderick were together for more than 30 years and he was as much a part of the fabric of our family as any of us. Roderick was fun and funny. He had a welcoming heart and was fiercely protective of those he loved. He was well-loved and highly regarded by many people and he loved having a good time. As a result, Roderick was the consummate party planner.

As time wore on, Roderick's health began to fail and after a series of difficult illnesses, he went into multi-organ failure. His latest surgery went well, but for reasons not fully understood, Roderick coded and died before Claude and Roderick's family could get to the hospital. Roderick did purchase a life policy, but his untimely death meant that the insurance policy did not mature so there is a serious shortfall for Roderick's final expenses.

I want to alleviate any financial strain that my brother is feeling at this time, so any money that is raised will be paid directly to Claude to help with whatever expenses he incurs at this difficult time.

We truly appreciate the love and support that you have given Claude at this time, and I will keep you updated when possible.