IN LOVING MEMORY
Their stories outlive their loss.
Behind every member of our community is a person we love, and refuse to let be defined by how they passed.
Mark Frongello
8/17/94 – 6/17/17
Son, brother, friend
THE STORY BEHIND THE FOUNDATION
For Mark.
Mark was tough as nails on the outside, and the gentlest soul underneath. He was painfully shy, but the kind of person whose smile could turn a room. He could talk to anyone about anything, and usually knew more than he let on, modest to a fault about how sharp he actually was. He read the Bible, and books on philosophy, science, and history, for the sheer pleasure of it. He carried a small journal everywhere, filling it with ideas: inventions, clean energy, ways to protect the Earth. He didn't care about money or things. He cared about his books, his notes, his ideas, and the people he loved.
As a son, Mark was his father's best friend as much as his child. He shared an especially deep, close bond with his mother, Nancy, one that stayed with him even after he lost her, in ways he didn't always show. As a brother to Meghan and Emily, his absence is felt at every milestone since, weddings, graduations, the births of a niece and nephews who'll only know him through the people who loved him. As a friend, he was loyal and steady, the kind of person people didn't realize how much they leaned on until he wasn't there.
One memory says it best: to this day, in the kitchen back in Springfield, there's still a part of the day that expects Mark to come bounding up from the basement because he smelled dinner cooking. It's small, ordinary and it's exactly how alive he was in that house, and in that family.
Mark's family wants people to know that his life was not defined by his death. He was intelligent, brave, strong, kind, and deeply faithful, someone who faced more than most people ever will, and who kept fighting every time it knocked him down. In one of his journal entries, he wrote, "Don't forget how they see you. If you are lost and weak, they see you that way." That was how he tried to live, determined to be strong, no matter what.
Mark made his mark on everyone who knew him. Make Your Mark Foundation is how that continues. Carrying his kindness, his strength, and his love for the people around him into every family it reaches.
FAMILIES WE WALK WITH
Share their story.
Every life remembered here mattered deeply. This space exists to honor those we’ve lost, preserve their stories, and remind grieving families that their loved one’s memory continues to make a difference through the work of Make Your Mark Foundation. We invite you to share your own stories, memories, and reflections as a way of celebrating their lives and keep their memory alive.
In Loving Memory of Mitchell Gays
In 2022, the Gays family experienced the unimaginable loss of their son, Mitchell.
To honor his memory, The Mark Foundation was proud to support the family’s efforts to create a memorial bench, a lasting place for reflection, remembrance, and connection. While no gesture can ease the pain of losing a loved one, we hope acts of remembrance like these help keep their stories alive and remind families that they are not alone in their grief.
Mitchell’s memory lives on through those who loved him, and we are honored to play a small part in preserving that legacy.
SHARE A TRIBUTE
Tell us about your person.
If you'd like to honor your loved one in our community, we'd be honored to hear about them. Whether it’s a favorite memory, a special moment, or simply a few words of love and remembrance, every contribution is a tribute to the impact they had on our lives. We hope that this space will provide comfort, solace, and a sense of community as we remember those we have lost.
A GIFT IN THEIR MEMORY
Give in someone's name.
Every story on this page is held up by people who chose to give. Donations fund the outreach, the events, and the resources that keep this community real.