Fans hilariously launch fundraisers to help Franklin Saint rehab and re-up after "Snowfall" finale

Angelina Velasquez
·3 min read
Damson Idris
Damson Idris
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Three days have passed since the series finale of FX’s ratings juggernaut “Snowfall” had its final curtain call, leaving behind an alcoholic and destitute Franklin Saint.

The character played by Damson Idris was loved, hated, and somewhat loved again as fans rode the rollercoaster of the 1980s crack epidemic in South Los Angeles for six seasons. Though Saint’s life was spared, in some sense, seeing him at rock bottom, beyond unkempt, and roaming the streets he helped to pollute with drugs has moved viewers to launch online campaigns to help the one-time academic luminary regain control of his life.

Hilariously, today (April 22), at least 35 fundraisers on GoFundMe can be found. Each of them uses an image of 26-year-old Saint appearing dusty, in raggedy clothes and with a mouth full of yuck. The names of the campaigns range from “I lost it all; let’s get it back brick by brick,” “Send Franklin Saint to rehab,” “Help Franklin Saint re-up,” and “Restore Franklin Saint,” to name a few.

One organizer wrote: “We’ve been rooting for Franklin Saint for [six] years, and we’re heartbroken to find out his mother and closest relatives betrayed him. They left my bo[y] for dead! Louie caused this when she stole the plug, and it’s been a ripple effect ever since. [C]issy hated on him and didn’t want him to obtain the money he worked for. Jerome chose a woman over his blood. TEDDY RAN OFF WITH [$]73 MILLION. Franklin’s [baby mama] exhausted his funds and ran off on him. My bo[y] built an empire brick by brick, and it was snatched from under his feet in a day. This is absurd. WE STAND WITH FRANKLIN SAINT AND WILL GET HIM ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY A NEW PACK AND BOUNCE BACK! Thanks for your donation to help a young, Black, exceptional entrepreneur reach extravagant levels again. A true trailblazer.”

Amin Joseph, who played Uncle Jerome in the John Singleton-helmed series, has not let up on the gas pedal since his character’s tragic death in season six’s “Concrete Jungle” episode. He joined in on the joke when he tweeted a snapshot of one of the fundraisers along with the caption, “Unc rolling over in his grave.” In a follow-up message to fans, he wrote, “If y’all don’t catch the first thing smokin’ to find my nephew, get his weight up, and visit my grave, I’m done with [y’all].”

A day after the finale aired (April 20), Idris spoke with Deadline about living in Saint’s purgatory. “His final moments were incredibly challenging. There was a fatherhood connection there, which I connected to personally, so it was deeply emotional for me,” said Idris. “Franklin’s connection to his father and his becoming an alcoholic was incredibly difficult. Behind the scenes, I had a little flask with me that no one knew about. I would touch it with my lips just to have the taste. I’ll also admit that I didn’t shower. Luckily I wasn’t disrupting anyone with any odors.”

Peep Unc’s tweets below.

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