Dear friends who love Frank

‍                         

Shoji and I attended Frank's funeral online yesterday and joined in the celebration of his life and accomplishments. To my surprise, he has done much more than I know, not only at the city, state, and national levels, but also at the regional and global levels of DPI, and even at the UN. Unlike his sister, Lesley, who was very active in fighting for the rights of people with disabilities, especially women with disabilities, he insisted on being brief about what was important, did not say much about himself, was quick to take on tasks when asked, and was quieter and more somber. This is because I know only part of what he accomplished.

I met him for the first time in Bangkok in 1985 and gradually got to know his mother and sisters. Many DPI regional and world meetings brought Shoji and me closer together, especially when Shoji led a study group on independent living from Japan to Melbourne with me as interpreter.

Although we were not able to meet during these years, the annual Christmas gifts, especially calendars, that he and Rae sent, made us feel that he was still very close to us. At the beginning of this year, we wanted to talk to him and Rae for the first time in a long time, but he told me that he was unable to speak because of the respirator, and suggested that we chat by e-mail, which was the last time we communicated.

Shoji and I will talk about Frank's contribution to the global disability movement and to the human rights of people with disabilities around the world in the history of DPI.

June 2, 2023

Yukiko Oka Nakanishi, DPI-Japan

Former DPI Asia-Pacific Laison