Dead Care Specialists Unveil Most Frightening Experiences Encountered during Deceased Handling
In the United States, over 23,000 morticians, predominantly male, are entrusted with the solemn duty of managing deaths on a daily basis. This line of work is often shrouded in mystery, with the public mostly gaining insights through films and television shows. However, a select few funeral workers have chosen to share their disturbing, poignant, and often uncomfortable behind-the-scenes experiences.
One 25-year-old woman, who runs a funeral home with her sister, offers a unique perspective as a female in an industry dominated by men. She inherited the business from her grandparents. A particularly challenging period for her was the passing of her mother, father, and great grandmother within days of each other during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
From her professional experience, she has learned that 'death is not that bad'; it can indeed be beautiful.
In the same vein, some anonymous morticians have shared stories of their unusual work experiences on Reddit. One mortician disclosed that he once had to staple a man, who had almost been cut in half in an accident, back together to make him presentable for an open casket. Another revealed that he sewed a gentleman's hands back on after an accident, while yet another encountered a bone donor whose leg joint bent backwards when trying to put an anklet back on. Clothing and makeup are used to conceal injuries during open casket sessions.
Embalming is a common practice, involving draining blood from the body and replacing it with a mixture of chemicals, such as formaldehyde, methanol, and ethanol, to preserve the body for viewing. Small plastic inserts are used to keep the eyes closed, while sutures usually seal the lips shut.
The long-term effects of handling deceased bodies are not always pleasant. One mortician, after 25 years in the profession, admitted that the odor still 'sticks to clothing' and necessitates immediate showers upon returning home to spare his partner from 'too much suffering.' Another described the smell as 'not so fresh meat' and 'kind of metallic.'
[1] American Funeral Association. (2021). Embalming/Caring for the Deceased. Retrieved from https://www.funeralassociation.org/consumers/frequently-asked-questions/embalming-caring-for-the-deceased[2] Mortician Guide. (2021). How to Become a Mortician or Funeral Director. Retrieved from https://www.morticianguide.com/how-to-become-a-mortician-or-funeral-director/[3] Funeral Consumers Alliance. (2021). Funeral Planning. Retrieved from https://funerals.org/funeral-planning/
- Despite the macabre nature of their work, some health-and-wellness enthusiasts from the funeral industry have shared their unique experiences on Reddit, revealing unsettling tales that often challenge the common perception of death.
- Advocating for a more open discussion about death, a female funeral home owner explained that her experiences in the industry have led her to believe that health and science can transform the narrative around death from something terrible to an aspect of life that can be beautiful.
