“With our corporate event planning background, we had some solutions that we could implement, and so we quickly put all of our energy into creating Farewell Partners. That’s where we are now. And it’s so fulfilling. And I feel like it’s really filled a void for people when they need it most.”
Some of the most heartbreaking stories in 2020 were about families that couldn’t gather together to grieve the death of a loved one. Virtual funerals became a mainstream thing for the first time.
I wanted to do this episode because I was hearing stories about virtual funerals that were surprisingly awesome. For every sad story I heard, there was an equally inspiring story of real human connection happening in these virtual settings. I’m not saying virtual funerals are better than in person funerals, but maybe virtual funerals are getting some things right that we didn’t really know we were missing before.
Farewell Partners is a great example of a company that has stepped up to facilitate these online events and they serve a huge need. GatheringUs and New Narrative are two other companies offering this service – they actually teach a course called How to Host a Virtual Funeral on our website, but every time I talk to them about this it seems like a no brainer to hire a facilitator.
As COVID-related restrictions lift and we go back to doing in-person funerals, I hope we will continue to use digital tools to create meaningful connections and memories. Some amazing things can happen in these virtual events. Let’s carry those lessons forward into a hybrid funeral future.
About the Company: Farewell Partners
Farewell Partners, a subsidiary of Capital City Events, offers virtual solutions for families and friends to gather their community to honor and mourn the loss of loved ones. With COVID-19, travel bans, and health warnings, people are not able to come together in the traditional ways. Farewell Partners provides family and friends the opportunity to celebrate a loved one by gathering virtually. Everyone, near and far, is able to come together in real-time to share stories and photos, comfort one another, and pay their respects—much like a memorial or wake. Our services include Virtual Tributes, Live Streaming, Family Support Portal, and Celebration of Life Events.
Episode Credits
Pat Cupples provided original music for this episode. Additional music is from the band Hotels & Highways.
Photo credit: Farewell Partners