Frank Ornelas

Frank was born in Mexico. As a child, he was always a dreamer- he dreamed of a better life and believed that moving to the United States would provide that.  At 21 years old, he left his business in Mexico, and took a flight to O’Hare. Frank is a hard worker and finally retired in 2015, after working for the biggest manufacturer of disposable products, SOLO cup company.

Frank comes from a loving family that has always tried to help and care for each other. His brothers and sisters in Mexico say that he is the best family member and they describe him as an angel, though he humbly says, “I am far from perfect, but I try to correct things.”

Frank is the father of police torture survivor Robert Ornelas. Frank’s wife, who he describes as a warrior and great cook, passed away in December 2018. After her passing, he started teaching himself how to cook Mexican cuisine. He also tries his best to learn about new technology, and even went to school a few years ago to learn about computers.

Frank believes that there are a lot of innocent people who have made mistakes and believes that people can change. When Frank is not fighting for incarcerated individuals, you can find him gardening, praying, and exercising.