Ronald James Iocca Memorial Fund
Donation protected
My father, Ronald James Iocca, passed away on January 15, 2019 at the age of 45 a few days after being diagnosed with an aggressive lymphoma.
My dad was a proud father of four children - three daughters and one son - ages 12, 13, 16 and 25. There was nothing he enjoyed more than having an opportunity to talk about his children. It brings a smile to my face every time an acquaintance of his that I've never had the chance to meet reaches out to tell me just how much he talked about us. When I was younger, I would get embarrassed when my dad bragged about me, but now I understand just how much joy his children brought him and I know he'll always be rooting for us.
My dad was an avid music lover, across all genres. As a Christmas gift to himself he bought a ticket to see Leonid & Friends, something he looked forward to for quite some time. Unfortunately, he never got to see the show - it was scheduled just a few days before he passed. The last recording of his voice we have is him posting on Facebook from his hospital bed, offering to transfer his ticket to another music fan free of charge. As a kid, my dad introduced me to everything from Pink Floyd to Billy Joel to Eminem - music that will always make me think of him when I hear it.
When I think of my dad, I think of a big guy with an even bigger heart. Family and friends can attest to how much of an animal lover he was. One of my fondest memories from my childhood is when I brought home a kitten that would later become known as "Trooper" to my family. I was five years old, playing with kids from my neighborhood, when I found a young kitten alone in a lot. I scooped up the kitten, malnourished and flea ridden, and brought the kitten home to my father. Dad gave the kitten medicated baths and hand fed him until he was strong enough to eat on his own. Dad called the kitten "Trooper" because of how well the kitten fought to become a healthy cat; Trooper stayed in our family for the rest of his life. There are countless other stories that involve my dad and and an animal in need, some that predate my birth and are still talked about.
In the last few years of his life, my dad focused a lot of his energy on his relationships and making strides in his career. He established a caring relationship akin to a second mother with an elderly woman, taking care of maintenance needs in her home and running errands for her. He reconnected with a childhood friend from Jersey City, often sharing dinner with him and his family at least one night per week and even helped paint their daughter's bedroom. He worked multiple jobs to better provide for his children while also challenging himself in new ways, including being offered a supervisory position in one of his jobs just a few months before he passed. Things were on an upward trajectory for my dad and it breaks my heart every time I think about just how quickly his cancer took him. It's taken me some time to be able to write these words, and I hope anyone reading this sees that my dad had a kind heart and will forever be loved and missed by so many people.
As my family works to move forward from the sudden loss of my dad, we need help covering his final expenses. We're looking to raise $5,000 to cover the expenses of the Probate court - my father had no will at the time of his passing since he was only 45 years old and in good health prior to the onset of his lymphoma. While we work through the court system, we also need to continue making payments on my father's truck for about another six months until we are legally able to sell it. These truck payments will cost about $3,000. Finally, we are planning to organize a memorial service for my dad in the spring and would appreciate funds to help cover the associated costs. Our goal to raise theses funds in March 30th, in honor of my youngest sister's 14th birthday.
All funds will be handled by me and distributed to my paternal grandmother, Patricia Iocca Tyszka. Please feel free to reach out to me on GoFundMe with any questions or any memories about my dad that you'd like to share!
Thank you in advance to any and all who contribute to this fund! Your kindness and generosity mean so much to my family and me.
My dad was a proud father of four children - three daughters and one son - ages 12, 13, 16 and 25. There was nothing he enjoyed more than having an opportunity to talk about his children. It brings a smile to my face every time an acquaintance of his that I've never had the chance to meet reaches out to tell me just how much he talked about us. When I was younger, I would get embarrassed when my dad bragged about me, but now I understand just how much joy his children brought him and I know he'll always be rooting for us.
My dad was an avid music lover, across all genres. As a Christmas gift to himself he bought a ticket to see Leonid & Friends, something he looked forward to for quite some time. Unfortunately, he never got to see the show - it was scheduled just a few days before he passed. The last recording of his voice we have is him posting on Facebook from his hospital bed, offering to transfer his ticket to another music fan free of charge. As a kid, my dad introduced me to everything from Pink Floyd to Billy Joel to Eminem - music that will always make me think of him when I hear it.
When I think of my dad, I think of a big guy with an even bigger heart. Family and friends can attest to how much of an animal lover he was. One of my fondest memories from my childhood is when I brought home a kitten that would later become known as "Trooper" to my family. I was five years old, playing with kids from my neighborhood, when I found a young kitten alone in a lot. I scooped up the kitten, malnourished and flea ridden, and brought the kitten home to my father. Dad gave the kitten medicated baths and hand fed him until he was strong enough to eat on his own. Dad called the kitten "Trooper" because of how well the kitten fought to become a healthy cat; Trooper stayed in our family for the rest of his life. There are countless other stories that involve my dad and and an animal in need, some that predate my birth and are still talked about.
In the last few years of his life, my dad focused a lot of his energy on his relationships and making strides in his career. He established a caring relationship akin to a second mother with an elderly woman, taking care of maintenance needs in her home and running errands for her. He reconnected with a childhood friend from Jersey City, often sharing dinner with him and his family at least one night per week and even helped paint their daughter's bedroom. He worked multiple jobs to better provide for his children while also challenging himself in new ways, including being offered a supervisory position in one of his jobs just a few months before he passed. Things were on an upward trajectory for my dad and it breaks my heart every time I think about just how quickly his cancer took him. It's taken me some time to be able to write these words, and I hope anyone reading this sees that my dad had a kind heart and will forever be loved and missed by so many people.
As my family works to move forward from the sudden loss of my dad, we need help covering his final expenses. We're looking to raise $5,000 to cover the expenses of the Probate court - my father had no will at the time of his passing since he was only 45 years old and in good health prior to the onset of his lymphoma. While we work through the court system, we also need to continue making payments on my father's truck for about another six months until we are legally able to sell it. These truck payments will cost about $3,000. Finally, we are planning to organize a memorial service for my dad in the spring and would appreciate funds to help cover the associated costs. Our goal to raise theses funds in March 30th, in honor of my youngest sister's 14th birthday.
All funds will be handled by me and distributed to my paternal grandmother, Patricia Iocca Tyszka. Please feel free to reach out to me on GoFundMe with any questions or any memories about my dad that you'd like to share!
Thank you in advance to any and all who contribute to this fund! Your kindness and generosity mean so much to my family and me.
Organizer
Jessica Iocca
Organizer
Boston, MA