Financial-aid recipient: Aurora native Faith Angelise Goins-Simmons is playing Lily in the Aurora Fox’s Porgy and Bess. The daughter of Pastors Verdale and Jane Goins is a graduate of Aurora Central High School and the University of Denver, where she was the first person of color to graduate from the Lamont School of Music. She later returned to DU to coach gymnastics. In addition to her many stage credits with companies including the Arvada Center (Hairspray) and the Town Hall Arts Center (Hair), she was a member of the Denver Nuggets’ Super Mascot Rocky Squad. She teaches gospel and praise dance at local churches. Her husband is Andre “Dre Future” Simmons, a futuristic style music artist and producer from Cincinnati who founded Superhero Sound Studios. He is also co-owner of F.S.W., a clothing company focused on motivating positive action through music and unique fashion styles.
Their story: The Simmons family moved into a new house in Centennial last month. One week later, the couple’s otherwise healthy 13-month-old son, Syer Peace Simmons, began to exhibit signs of a cold, and died suddenly later that night. The Arapahoe County Coroner’s office has yet to determine a cause of death, but the police immediately shut down the house and the couple have moved into a reduced-rate hotel nearby while the police investigate whether the house itself had anything to do with the sudden change in the baby’s condition. The Simmonses responded to the unthinkable tragedy by hosting a toy drive for area children, along with a life celebration filled with music and dance in lieu of a traditional funeral. The couple is now facing burial expenses and are seeking an immediate place to live. All told, their expenses are expected to exceed $15,000. A GoFundMe campaign organized by friends has raised about $9,000 to date.
How we will help: The Denver Actors Fund has made another $4,000 available to help the Goins-Simmons family pay for immediate relocation and burial expenses. This represents the largest gift to date in the history of our non-profit.
Help us help the Simmons family more: There is obviously much financial uncertainty in this family’s immediate future. If you would like to target a specific donation to help give the Goins-Simmons family some breathing room in the coming weeks and months, simply mail checks in any amount made out to Denver Actors Fund (with the Goins-Simmons name written in the topic field), to P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO 80212. Or use this online donation link. If you use the online option, be sure to designate that your donation is a targeted donation to the Goins-Simmons family. Otherwise, your donation will be applied to the replenishment of the DAF’s general fund.
Update (April 17, 2017): The current total generated assistance for Faith Goins-Simmons from all sources is now $4,375.36
Watch the 9News report on this story
A message from Faith Angelise Goins-Simmons: “Losing my baby after only 13 months is the most devastating experience I could ever have. I would not wish this pain on anyone. It has shown me how much my son, Syer, touched so many lives in such a way that inspires people to spread love and peace. The Denver Actors Fund has been such a comfort to my husband and me. It has been stressful trying to figure out where we are going to live next, how we are going to pay for memorial expenses, cremation and the long legal battle that is ahead of us. Denver Actors Fund is a blessing to this industry and we cannot fully express our gratitude. Thank you all so very much for the immediate generosity. I would trade every dollar to have my baby back, but the Denver Actors Fund has helped us try to live life after this horrific experience. Love, Peace and Gratitude, from the family of Syer Peace ♡“
