Joe Sullivan's Column as I See 'Em: Frase charity a labor of love

They pounced as soon as I entered the joint.

"Did you see that blurb in today's sports section of the Leader," one started, "the one asking for money to ..."

"What a ridiculous thing, in this economy," a second interrupted, "asking people to help fund a baseball trip to Pennsylvania for a bunch of kids."

I had read the blurb but hadn't given it much thought. The verbal assault did, however, make me think about it and another charity: The Joshua Frase Foundation.

Before the recent JFF Charity Golf Event held at the spectacular par-three Brookstone Park GC in Derry, I knew little about Joshua Frase, his dad, Paul, his mom, Alison, or the illness that they are fighting.

The tournament raised $30,000 and my awareness of what extraordinary families can accomplish when they work together.

About the Frase family.

Paul Frase played four years of football at Spaulding High of Rochester, five years of college football at Syracuse University, and 11 years of pro football split among the New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens.

To hear him tell it, his football career just kind of happened.

"My older brothers played football for Spaulding and when we'd play pick-up in the yard, they'd beat me up pretty good," Frase said, laughing. "I never played any organized football until I got to Spaulding."

And in his first year of organized football, Frase dazzled no one.

"I played freshman ball and Hugo (Spaulding's then-varsity coach Hugo Bolin) will tell you he thought I was the most awkward kid he had ever seen in football pads.

"The only reason I got varsity playing time as a sophomore was that the kid in front of me got hurt against Dover. When we watched the game film, Hugo kept stopping it to ask me, 'What were you doing out there?'"

Whatever it was, it made Frase a starter for the rest of his high school career. In that time, he progressed from awkward to accomplished and Bolin believed he could play Division I college ball.

Frase's description of his recruiting experience would make a stand-up comedian envious.

Game films were sent to Joe Paterno at Penn State.

Frase: "Paterno said he wasn't interested in me but he wanted to know who the back-up running back was to Malcolm Perry." (It was Don Seegers.)

Bolin also contacted Bo Schembechler at Michigan.

Frase: "He asked me how much I weighed and I told him 211 pounds.

He told me to have a nice life."

Eventually, Dick MacPherson at Syracuse took a chance on Frase.

Good move. The former Red Raider started on defense in his fourth and fifth years as an Orangeman.

Frase: "Opponents had to put two guys on Ted Gregory, which left me one-on-one most of the time." Frase flourished.

Gregory was taken by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 1988 draft, Frase by the New York Jets in the sixth.

Gregory lasted one year.

In 1995, the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars plucked Frase from the Jets.

That brings us to Joshua Frase. He was born just before his dad was taken in the expansion draft and within three months, the infant was diagnosed with myotubular myopathy (MTM).

Only 50 percent of children born with MTM live to the age of 2. Of those, few live beyond their early school years.

Joshua Frase is 14 years old.

The foundation named after him has raised close to $ 5.5 million in its 12-year existence.

Which brings us to Alison Frase.

"She is amazing," her husband said. "She is an incredible wife and mother and she's the one who runs the foundation."

That foundation funds research at Children's Hospital Boston and Wake Forest Institute. Its goal is to understand the disease and to uncover potential treatments of all neuro-muscular disorders.

It also offers financial help to families lacking the resources for medical equipment needs. Often, children with MTM cannot breathe or swallow on their own.

Though Joshua is fully integrated into the public-school system in Jacksonville, Fla., Paul Frase is a realist.

"Joshua is stable but he's fighting against the clock. The research that is taking place is incredible and there could be help in anywhere from 18 months to seven years."

Which brings us to another special family: the Ferdinandos.

For the fourth consecutive year, Manchester-based Ferdinando Insurance led a long list of sponsors for the golf tournament.

"The Ferdinandos are doing a wonderful thing with this tournament and their constant support of the foundation," Paul Frase said.

Keith Ferdinando (Central High class of '88, Bates College class of '93 and Ferdinando Insurance vice-president) is the driving force behind the annual event which has raised nearly $100,000.

On tournament day, I wanted him to discuss his role in the foundation.

Didn't happen.

"Joshua Frase is the only name that counts today," he said.

That said it all.

Anyone wishing to donate to the JFF may do so by writing to:

Alison Frase Joshua Frase Foundation c/o KMC Productions 222 Forbes Road, Suite 207 Braintree, MA 02184 That's where my donation has gone.

Joe Sullivan writes a biweekly column for the New Hampshire Union Leader.