Meet Uncle Frank. A retired Brooklyn-born law enforcement officer in New York, Uncle Frank won’t take a dollar for his 10-4s.
10-4s is how Frank refers to his volunteer schedule at the LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum? Why? The Museum is open from 10-4, when Uncle Frank volunteers. He welcomes visitors, shows them around and operates the SEAL simulation ride for kids. Never taking a dime for his time.
Frank has been asked four times to accept the same hourly payment of other volunteers. No way, Frank has repeatedly said. What? Are you kidding me? For all I get out of being here, how could I let you pay me? Come on!
Frank actually pays the Museum to volunteer. He pays in gourmet donuts. He brings them in for other Museum employees. Frank, you see, is Italian. He knows good food. And Frank knows that food doesn’t just make you a team. Uncle Frank knows that sharing food is how you make a group more like a family.
Family is what it’s about at the LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum. In more ways than one.
Frank’s nephew, Bryan, is a member of Suffolk’s finest, the Suffolk County Police Department. Bryan once enlisted the help of another Murphy board member to develop a survey. On what? A family survey on grandma’s meatballs. Uncle Frank laughs when recalling that survey.
It’s all about family for Uncle Frank. During his 10-4s, Frank spends a lot of time helping Dan Murphy, Michael Murphy’s father. Dan works 10-4s, too.
What best captures the power of family for Uncle Frank is his son. Frank recalls a conversation he once had with a nice lady in the Museum. A lifelong Catholic from Brooklyn, Frank feels God is looking out for him. In talking to that nice lady at the Museum, Frank explained why.
Frank’s son sustained a serious injury from an IUD during his US Army service in Iraq. He was blown off a machine gun turret when a bomb blew up under the Hummer they were operating. All the other servicemen in the vehicle were killed except for Frank’s son.
Uncle Frank explained to the lady that God was looking out for my son, me and our family that day. His son is alive and well. And that’s why I’m so honored to be part of the Museum, Frank said.
Oh, I’m sorry, Frank continued in talking to the nice lady. What is your name? The lady stretched out her hand to introduce herself. “I’m Maureen Murphy. I’m Michael’s mother.”
Now I’m really sorry for going on so much, Frank recalls saying. He promptly thanked Maureen for her and her family’s sacrifice.
He then thanked her for giving him the privilege of working 10-4s at her son’s museum. It really is his honor.
