Frank Says Hi

Frank Says Hi is a scholarship fund formed in 2010 in memory of Frankie DeCandia.  The scholarship benefits students in the Malden, Massachusetts area who are college-bound with an interest in the field of Communications.

Each year, we hold multiple benefits to raise money for the Frank Says Hi scholarship.  In the spring, we award two students scholarships to be used toward college.  We work with the faculty and staff of both Malden High School (Frankie's home town) and from Pope John XXIII High School in Everett (Frankie's alma mater) to choose one deserving student from each school who will receive the scholarship.

About Frankie

Francis "Frankie" DeCandia was a life-long Malden resident who lived life to the fullest.  He was all about love - love for his family, his many friends, sports, music, movies, television and writing.  Frankie enjoyed watching almost any sport, going to concerts and critiquing movies and television.

In January of 2006 while he was a student at Suffolk University studying journalism, Frankie was diagnosed with a form of leukemia called CML.  Frankie decided to have a stem cell transplant in the same year and was subsequently secluded at home for about a year.  In 2007, Frankie began to return to his normal life - taking classes at Suffolk, and enjoying time with family and friends.  However, although he fought valiantly, he developed complications from CML, and lost his courageous battle in April of 2008.

While Frankie was in the hospital in 2008, he was talking to his best friend Jason Rossi on the phone.  They were chatting and catching up, as they always did.  At the end of their conversation, Frankie asked Jason for a favor:  to tell everyone that he said "Hi."  When Jason asked, "Who do you want me to tell?"  Frankie said, "Everyone!  Tell everyone I said hi."

Jason remembered this exchange after Frankie passed away, and with the help of Frankie's family and friends, started Frank Says Hi in his memory.

The Frank Says Hi Board

Jason Rossi
Frank DeCandia
Marcie DeCandia
Stephanie DeCandia