Hey everyone. It's Raphael.

This one definitely took a lot for me to write out. Especially having to deal with the grief of losing my grandmother, it's hard having the additional responsibility of figuring out how financially stressful it can be having a death in the family.

Lydia Cimafranca, my grandmother "Mimi", passed away 2/3/2025. Mimi helped raise me since I was a child, and we lived together from when I was 13 in 8th grade until I moved out after college at 25.

My mom was a single mother since I was young, and my grandma helped watch me, take care of me, and feed me since I was a baby while my mom worked to provide for me. I will never forget the memories and lessons she taught me while I was growing up. From enjoying different types of food to how to be a gentleman and treat the women in my life. Mimi would always provide me the wisdom that I use and cherish today.

It was about 7 years ago when Mimi got into her accident and was finally diagnosed with dementia. It was heartbreaking. It would have been impossible for my mother and me to take care of her. So, having to find caregivers and a home that could take care of her was so difficult and definitely impacted our family.

There is one thing: each and every single time I visited Mimi, she did not forget who I was. Every time I saw her, since I was even a little child, she would call me handsome. "Ka gwapo ang baby ako" is what she would say every single time.

So this is what I am asking. Death is expensive. I hate that I even have to ask, but at this point, I'm just trying to figure out different ways to help my family in need like this.

Mimi went to the hospital on Feb 2nd. She spent barely 24 hours in the group home that we have been paying thousands of dollars to for so many years. It's amazing that we are still required to pay the remaining amount for the month of Feb. They are giving us a $150 refund after paying over $3800 for this month.

We "prepaid" for some cremation services from a pretty well-known company here in Las Vegas. It's amazing that after spending money and getting a "certificate" showing that everything is paid, when we go to turn in our "death coupon" we still have to endure processing fees on top of that.

It's also in my culture that we as a family have to fund the entire celebration of life. So in addition to having to grieve, we also have to figure out a way to feed 60 people in New York since that is where we are going to have the celebration with the family.

I get it, we have our culture. I've already had discussions with my mother about this. It just is so hard to see my family already trying to figure out what to do financially on top of losing such a big anchor to our family.

My family is already very small here in Las Vegas. Mimi first migrated here to the States alone, then my mom and my aunt followed. Throughout my whole life, it was always Mimi, my mom, and myself in one house, and my aunt and my little cousin McKen'Z in another. That's it.

So it would mean a lot to me if, in lieu of a gift for my birthday on Monday 2/17, you could contribute towards helping my family financially, as I just want to be able to help at least lift this stress away from them so they can properly grieve the death of Mimi.

I am trying to raise $6000 in total to help with the expenses that are going to go towards transportation, hotel, and car rental in New York. All the fees with the funeral services and burying her next to her sister in Flushing at a cemetery. The mass and celebration of life for the entire family.

I thank you in advance if you do end up contributing, and hope that there is something that I can do in order to show my thanks.

Thank you