Snapshot : Keri ’ s Milkweed Seeds
Common milkweed seeds are built to travel , with hopeful white wisps carrying them on fall breezes to fertile ground . But Frank O ’ Donnell never expected his seeds would make it all the way to the Philippines . Back in 2010 , after his fifteen-year-old daughter , Keri , died in a car accident , O ’ Donnell had a comforting encounter with a monarch . Friends encouraged him to plant butterfly bushes in her honor . A garden grew from it in North Providence and , when the family moved , in Jamestown . As O ’ Donnell began courting monarchs , he learned they only lay eggs on common milkweed . So he planted some and harvested their bountiful pods , offering extras to friends . “ I didn ’ t want to throw away the seeds , because why waste them ,” he says . Word , like the seeds , caught wind this spring and O ’ Donnell ’ s efforts were covered by the Boston Globe , NBC , even South Korea radio . Since then , thousands from all over the world have reached out for seeds . O ’ Donnell , who now raises monarch caterpillars , says some want to help save the monarch population , which is dwindling . But many more request seeds to plant in his daughter ’ s memory . “ This is definitely driven by Keri , because she was my ‘ look at me ’ kid . She always wanted her name in lights , and she has gone way beyond that ,” he says . “ At times , it ’ s difficult , because this is all happening because our daughter is gone . But we were not given a choice in that . So we have to do something to honor her .” To request seeds , email frankodonnellcomedy @ gmail . com . – CASEY NILSSON
104 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l DECEMBER 2021