Patrick Joseph Kelly II
October 25, 1965 – March 28, 2003

A Tribute to a Friend

“The men who build the future are those who know that greater things are yet to come, and that they themselves will help bring them about. Their minds are illuminated by the blazing sun of hope. They never stop to doubt. They haven’t time.” – Melvin J. Evans

Some go through their whole life and accomplish nothing; others, in only a short time, change the world. That was Pat Kelly. Many knew him only as a football player or a businessman; we knew him as our friend. He took his love and compassion for our son Joshua and shared it with everyone he met, creating the JFF Muscle Dream Team Gala and raising millions of dollars for the treatment of and, one day, a cure for congenital myopathies. Words can’t express how much we’ll miss him nor how eternally grateful we are for the chance to have known him.

Love Paul & Alison Frase & The Joshua Frase Foundation

Current Leadership

In the fall of 1996, Paul Frase and his former Syracuse and New York Jets teammate, Pat Kelly, decided it was time for the Joshua Frase Foundation to begin raising funds. Pat, a Managing Director at Bear Stearns in Boston and then New York, led the effort that would become the JFF Muscle Dream Team Gala. His commitment, his energy and his drive would create a lasting legacy.

A committee was formed that year and a development professional was hired. The group worked together to gather old college friends, former teammates and a team of corporate supporters to raise not only money, but also awareness of myotubular myopathy and other devastating neuromuscular diseases. The JFF Muscle Dream Team Gala quickly became one of the premier events of its kind.

Since that first JFF Muscle Dream Team Gala in 1997, close to $5 million dollars has been raised in the fight against congenital myopathies. Significant progress has been made in research and potential treatment options. The dream of someday finding a cure seems very possible, giving hope to all those whose lives have been touched by a child suffering from these terrible disorders.

Pat’s devotion to the Joshua Frase Foundation was even more apparent as he fought his own battle with a terminal disease. When Pat was diagnosed with cancer, he thought to pass the JFF torch to his friend and colleague, Alex Zecca, ensuring that this important work would continue. Pat lost his battle with cancer on March 28, 2003, leaving behind a loving wife, devoted friends and a legacy of caring and friendship that will continue on in his memory.

Over the years, Pat and Paul’s special friendship has set the stage for recruiting many former college and NFL teammates to join our battle against congenital myopathies; the response has been incredible.