Friends of Frank Fund
Donation protected
About Frank and Elberta
Frank and Elberta met a little more than 13 years ago, both were in other relationships at the time and never thought of themselves as a couple. Through the years they’ve always been the best of friends and seen the world the same. (They also admit to enjoying B movies like crazy.) After a number of years, they both happened to be single and alone and realized that their strong friendship would make an amazing marriage bond.
So, Frank surprised Elberta with an "out of the box" wedding ceremony on stage at the Starlight Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada. The biggest surprise was that they were married by the world famous Village People during their concert on 11-11-11. Elberta described the ceremony as a “whirlwind fun surreal experience”! (You can watch the ceremony on You Tube. Just click the link provided.)
Their Challenges
Thirteen months after they were married Frank was diagnosed with Stage One Renal Cell Carcinoma. Usually a very deadly form of cancer, it is rarely found in Stage One due to its insidious nature. They felt blessed to have found it early and Frank fought hard for eight months to successfully beat the cancer into remission. They enjoyed that remission for almost a year.
In June of 2014 Frank knew something was wrong and went in to see his doctor. Sadly, Frank was right and learned the cancer was back with Stage 3 and 4 tumors. They were devastated by the diagnosis but Frank dove right back into chemo and juicing. Not surprisingly, Frank has been unable to work due to his condition.
Their savings and most of their retirement accounts were spent on the first fight. Now with the second round fight, they have bills piling up, owe property taxes and have fallen behind on most every debt. They have also suffered, as many other Central Texans, significant damage from the Memorial Day 2015 storms. The house needs a new roof and other repairs caused by the tornado that tore through their neighborhood.
One bright spot in their lives is that Frank’s 20-year-old son lives with them while he attends UT Austin for a Computer Science degree. He is in his junior year and working hard to keep his grades in the 4 point range. They are very proud of him and want to help him continue with his studies.
They Need Our Help
“Friends of Frank” hope that this helps you know a little more about Frank and Berta and understand the seriousness of their financial situation. Throughout this challenging time they still feel blessed to have each other for every single minute. But they do need our help to repair and keep the roof over their heads, catch up on bills, and keep their son on the right path during this painful scary time. Please help if you are able. Frank and Elberta will be forever grateful and send blessings to you and your family.
P.S. We’re putting together a benefit concert “Frank ‘N Fest” on August 22nd from 1 – 5 pm at The Love Goat. Please visit our Facebook page “Friends of Frank” to learn more. There will be special guest performers, food, and fun. Please join us if you’re able.
Frank and Elberta met a little more than 13 years ago, both were in other relationships at the time and never thought of themselves as a couple. Through the years they’ve always been the best of friends and seen the world the same. (They also admit to enjoying B movies like crazy.) After a number of years, they both happened to be single and alone and realized that their strong friendship would make an amazing marriage bond.
So, Frank surprised Elberta with an "out of the box" wedding ceremony on stage at the Starlight Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada. The biggest surprise was that they were married by the world famous Village People during their concert on 11-11-11. Elberta described the ceremony as a “whirlwind fun surreal experience”! (You can watch the ceremony on You Tube. Just click the link provided.)
Their Challenges
Thirteen months after they were married Frank was diagnosed with Stage One Renal Cell Carcinoma. Usually a very deadly form of cancer, it is rarely found in Stage One due to its insidious nature. They felt blessed to have found it early and Frank fought hard for eight months to successfully beat the cancer into remission. They enjoyed that remission for almost a year.
In June of 2014 Frank knew something was wrong and went in to see his doctor. Sadly, Frank was right and learned the cancer was back with Stage 3 and 4 tumors. They were devastated by the diagnosis but Frank dove right back into chemo and juicing. Not surprisingly, Frank has been unable to work due to his condition.
Their savings and most of their retirement accounts were spent on the first fight. Now with the second round fight, they have bills piling up, owe property taxes and have fallen behind on most every debt. They have also suffered, as many other Central Texans, significant damage from the Memorial Day 2015 storms. The house needs a new roof and other repairs caused by the tornado that tore through their neighborhood.
One bright spot in their lives is that Frank’s 20-year-old son lives with them while he attends UT Austin for a Computer Science degree. He is in his junior year and working hard to keep his grades in the 4 point range. They are very proud of him and want to help him continue with his studies.
They Need Our Help
“Friends of Frank” hope that this helps you know a little more about Frank and Berta and understand the seriousness of their financial situation. Throughout this challenging time they still feel blessed to have each other for every single minute. But they do need our help to repair and keep the roof over their heads, catch up on bills, and keep their son on the right path during this painful scary time. Please help if you are able. Frank and Elberta will be forever grateful and send blessings to you and your family.
P.S. We’re putting together a benefit concert “Frank ‘N Fest” on August 22nd from 1 – 5 pm at The Love Goat. Please visit our Facebook page “Friends of Frank” to learn more. There will be special guest performers, food, and fun. Please join us if you’re able.
Organizer
Elberta Goldsmith
Organizer
Austin, TX