This letter was sent to the Fordham Prep Engagement , Development & Communications Office by the Franchi family , thanking Assistant to the Vice-President Larry Curran ’ 77 for his time at the Prep and relating a story about the late Nunzio Franchi ’ 45 .
Dear Mr . Curran ,
Please find enclosed a donation to the Prep that I would like to make in memory of my grandfather , Nunzio " Popa " Franchi . I am sending the donation directly to you along with this letter because I want to also share with you the ways that you have strengthened his connection to the Prep and made him proud throughout the years .
As we laid Popa down to rest in early November , he wore a white suit jacket and a maroon Fordham Prep insignia bowtie , which you so graciously provided for him . Anyhow , as I looked at this man I admired so much throughout his life , I couldn ’ t help but realize that his attire was reminiscent of the Prep graduation attire . It got me to thinking about how much the Prep meant to him , how proud he was to call himself a Ram and what an influential part you played in truly making him feel a part of the Fordham Family .
Class Notes
As you are aware , Popa attended Fordham Prep in the old Hughes Hall back in the 1940 ' s and would have been part of the graduating class of 1945 . However , he left school early in his junior year to join the Marines and defend our country in World War II . That sacrifice truly amazes me . Popa was the youngest of 5 siblings and the first to be born in the United States after his parents emigrated from Italy to escape the rule of Mussolini . I mention this to you because , while Fordham Prep certainly signifies a top quality education and a growth in faith , scholarship and service to all of us who have been lucky enough to walk those halls , to my grandfather back in the 1940 ' s it also meant opportunity . It was the opportunity to be the first in his family to get such a quality education and to achieve the American dream that his parents wanted when they came here . And yet , despite all the opportunity this presented for him as a young man , he decided that , for him , service to his country was a higher calling than scholarship or his own well-being .
Upon Popa ' s honorable discharge from the Marines , he did not finish his education at the Prep , but instead got a job as a carpenter , a trade he learned while in the Marines .
Popa went on to be a custodial engineer for the NYC Board of Education for 40 years and raised a family of 4 children , 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren . Even with all of these prideful life experiences , it was a special night in 1996 that Nunzio " Popa " Franchi got to be honored and truly feel the pride of being a Fordham Prep graduate . That night , his continued love for Fordham Prep was made possible because of YOU !!! When my brother Christopher and I graduated from the Prep in 1996 , you were influential in getting Popa an honorary degree based on his time at the Prep in the 1940s . This allowed him to sit on stage and give my brother and me our Fordham Prep diplomas . The smile on Popa ' s face that day as he walked through the crowd in his cap and gown and sat on that stage is an image that has stuck in my mind and heart . However , as memorable as that night was , it was a picture that I found while going through his things recently that I think sums up my Popa ' s journey and his pride in Fordham Prep . Unbeknownst to me , Popa snuck out after the graduation ceremony without returning his cap and gown . Instead he jumped in the car and drove to see his 98 year old mother at a nursing home in New Rochelle in full graduation garb . He wanted to show his Mom , my great-grandmother , that he had done it . HE GRADUATED FROM FORDHAM PREP !!! I guess even as a 70 year old man , making Mom proud still rates high on your list . Shortly after the three of us graduated together that May night in 1996 , my Dad bought Popa a 1945 class ring . When he opened the gift and realized what it was , it was the first time I ever saw my grandfather cry . From then on , he would show off that ring and talk about the Prep and his five grandsons who would end up following in his footsteps as Men for Others .
Mr . Curran , I share this all with you , along with this humble gift , because you were a big reason he was able to experience all of these proud moments .
Our most sincere thanks , The Franchi Family
SPRING 2017 | 23