Category Archives: Natural Disasters

The Mary Mac Show | When There Is No Funeral

The Mary Mac Show Podcast

In Episode 123, we talk about how to handle our grief when there is no body to bury and/or what to do when it’s not possible or preferred to have a traditional funeral.

In most parts of the world and within most cultures, it is traditional to have a last event, a funeral, to honor the dead in our family.

But with the pandemic and with war raging in this world, that may not have been possible in the recent past or in the near future.

During World War II, families who helped liberate European countries were fortunate to even know where their loved one’s died.

And there are military cemeteries in many parts of the world who honored those families by burying their fathers, sons, brothers and other loved ones.

There is also the unexpectedness of not having a body to bury.

People who were blown away in tornadoes and could not be found.

Those who were murdered, possibly dismembered.

Those who died in fires, airplane crashes, though terrorism, war, drowning in the ocean or other bodies of water, run over by trains, found months or even years later and their body is decomposed.

Even from explosions in war, in building collapses, earthquakes and volcanoes where bodies could not be recovered, avalanches.

No one ever expects that their body will not be found and buried but this happens more than we know.

And with the high cost of a funeral (upward of $10,000 USD) many families don’t have the resources to do this.

So cremation is an alternative.

But what about a funeral?

Many people are opting to something different to still commemorate their loved ones and we speak about those various ways in this week’s episode.

Listen in to Episode 123 and leave a comment below how you chose to honor your loved one. What ceremonies worked for you?

Bless you my friend.
xoxo

Additional Notes:

You can obtain my free ebook entitled 21 Things You Must Know About The Grieving Process, available for immediate download right here on this site.

If you need knowledge as to what to expect when you’re grieving, visit www.GriefAuthority.com and pick up my 3 Book Bundle of Hope which you can immediately download 24/7 anywhere in the world. It is important to not guess if what you’re feeling is part of this process. With my books, you will know what happens during this time so you’ll have your mind at ease. Go get them now.

If you are grieving a loved one’s death, take the time to research a hotline with trained counselors to speak with.

Hope For Haiti…For the Past 20 Years

While its very admirable that the Hollywood community would rally to raise funds for those affected by the horrendous aftermath of such an earthquake in Haiti last week, I’d like to make you aware of an organization which has been helping the Haitian people for over 20 years, which truly deserves your support.

One of the key concerns for families donating their hard-earned dollars is always that the funds contributed will do the most good for the purpose the money was given. That was my desire when I developed the Foundation for Grieving Children.

When such major telethons join with the Red Cross, United Way and others who have, in the past, shown they have so many tiers of administration or that the funds are not managed well, I personally look toward other non-profits whose motivation is a pure heart.

Consequently, I’d like to introduce to you an organization known as Hope for Haiti founded by a good friend, JoAnne Kuehner. Her husband and I are alumni of the University of Scranton and I learned of her work many years ago.

She has a pure heart toward the children and families of Haiti and has been doing this work for over 20 years. This is the type of organization which deserves our support.

Ironically, the telethon tomorrow night has the same name as her organization which has been doing this work long before the earthquake.

So I encourage you to consider sending any donation you choose to make for the survival of the people of Haiti to JoAnne’s organization. They have successfully helped the Haitian people in the past and are already on the ground.

They know the land, the people, the needs, the politics. From my perspective, they have a much greater ability to get the job done more efficiently and effectively than any group which has spung up overnight since the earthquake. For these new organizations, it’s a learning process. For JoAnne’s organization, Hope for Haiti, it’s commonplace.

In this day and age, it is necessary to use our donated dollars wisely. Give your gift to Hope for Haiti at www.hopeforhaiti.com. They will use your generosity with wisdom and speed and, most of all, much love.

Our prayers are with all who have endured this tragic event and all who have given of their time to help these families rebuild each shattered life.

God Bless the nation of Haiti and its people. And God Bless JoAnne and her team for the countless years of dedication toward this cause.