Francis Borasky had a Dunkin’ Donuts hot coffee cup in his hand every day when he came into work at 6 a.m. — when most of the Syracuse University community is asleep.

From 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays, Borasky worked on various tasks such as replacing lights and hanging bulletin boards for academic buildings as a general maintenance employee at the SU Physical Plant.

Borasky died on the night of Sept. 18 after an apparent brawl with two teenagers in Oneida, according to Syracuse.com. The suspects were arrested the next day.

As of 2:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon, a GoFundMe page — created to raise funds for Borasky’s funeral costs and other legal expense — has collected $11,720 from 212 people.

“He was a big-hearted person,” said Tom Watson, a general maintenance supervisor who worked with Borasky at the SU Physical Plant. “He would do anything for anybody. If anybody ever needed help, he was always willing to come help you.”

Borasky loved his work, SU football and basketball, deer hunting, fishing and most of all his family, Watson said.

Dave Peryea, Borasky’s best friend, said in an email that Borasky loved his family — his two young sons, Keagan and Kolby, and his girlfriend, Cassy Mills.

“A family man and always put them first, Francis would give you his shirt off his back even if he didn’t know you,” Peryea said.  “… His boys were his pride and joy, and if you messed with either of them or his lady he would let it be known not to talk or pick on his boys or lady.”

Peryea met Borasky when Peryea was working at SU as a facilities maintenance employee five years ago.

Their friendship was so strong that they made sure to take time off to see each other. Oftentimes Borasky was willing to give his last dollar to Peryea to help him out. Borasky was also Peryea’s best man at his wedding in July, Peryea said. When it was Borasky’s turn to speak, his tongue got twisted and “lost his momentum.”

“(It’s) funny because if you know Francis he always talked and had stuff to say so I’ll always remember I had my best friend speechless … everyone laughed,” Peryea said.

After his wedding, he took Borasky and his family members for a honeymoon to the Outer Banks. While Peryea’s wife and Mills took their children, Borasky and Peryea lay on the beach for two hours, sunbathing and falling asleep.

Mills, Borasky’s girlfriend, teased that the trip was a honeymoon for Peryea and Borasky — they were “inseparable just like brothers” as Peryea recalled.

Peryea heard the news Borasky was killed from Borasky’s niece on Sept. 18. Bouncing out of his house, he rushed to the hospital and texted Borasky’s phone, wishing that this was a joke.

When he got there and saw Borasky lying on the hospital bed, he started to accept the truth.

“He was not my blood brother but sometimes best friends have a stronger bond than blood brothers do,” Peryea said.

Published on September 25, 2016 at 9:52 pm

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