My cell phone rings: ‘Hello’…. I hear my sisters voice…’Dad just killed hisself’….I drop the phone…

This was February 18, 2012 (the same day as my Uncle Marvin’s (my Dads older brother) and Whitney Houston’s Funerals), I was driving down Sunset Boulevard with two of my best friends, Joy and Danielle, they had come to visit me in LA. That was the phone call that started My Journey into The Funeral Life.

I dropped my phone and and let go of the steering wheel, just before side swiping the parked cars Danielle managed to grab the wheel to keep us on the road. I immediately pulled over and attempted to wrap my mind around ‘Dad just killed hisself’…what did that mean? What happened? I picked up the phone to hear my sister screaming my name. I asked, ‘what happened?’. She said ‘he Overdosed on Heroine’.

Death and Overdose two words I never thought I would hear in connection with my Dad. I could not process it all, I dried my face and told myself I was okay, my girls were here and a part of me wanted to continue my day as if this never happened. I managed to get through one lemon drop and get pictures with Whitney Houston’s and Michael Jackson’s Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame before I hit my next break down, we decide to call it quits on Sunset.

I remember thinking, my children will never know my Dad, their Grandfather, this thought brought so much pain to me, they would never get to experience his unconditional love and supportive nature. That evening I laughed through the tears as a drank wine and reminisced over photo albums and encouraging letters that my Dad had written me over the years. I thought I was okay. I can handle this.

It was a four and a half hour flight from LA to Pittsburgh, it was on this flight that the permanency settled in – my Dad was no longer here. I replayed our last conversation ,which was the morning he passed away, over and over in my mind. I wished I was there, I thought if I was there this would not have happened. I felt guilt. I felt pain. I cried the entire flight, as the plane landed and it was time to deplane the tears poured down harder, my throat closed…I was no longer able to speak full sentences….

As I drove to my Grandmothers home where the family was gathering I managed to pull myself together, within 10 minutes after my arrival I realized they where waiting on me, it was my job to plan my Father’s Funeral. How could this be, we never had a conversation about death and his wishes, there were so many decisions that had to be made quickly this compounded with the desire to honor him properly.

This was the first Funeral where I was a decision maker, we picked a Funeral Home based on location to the community. The Funeral Home we entrusted with his service lacked professionalism, compassion and reverence. I knew at that moment that how we had been treated was wrong. I knew that I wanted to help other families have a positive experience as they remembered the lives of loved ones and honored the lives they’d lived.

This was the beginning of My Journey to The Funeral Life….

I am currently a Funeral Director in Philadelphia, PA.

Before The Funeral Life….

I am from Pittsburgh, PA (Yes…Steeler Nation…City of Champions!). I have moved quite a few times over the last 15 years, I average a new state/city every three years: NJ, Denver, LA, Atlanta and now Philly. Each move has afforded me new opportunities, challenges, perspectives, friends and experiences that have contributed to my continued growth.

I have spent the last 13 years working in the the Health Care Benefits Administration and Outsourcing industry. I am fortunate to have the opportunity and skills to successfully Lead in both the technical and business arena’s of supporting Implementations and Ongoing Service Delivery for my clients. I have extensive experience implementing efficient System and Operational solutions that meet/exceed business needs while increasing quality, managing cost and improving the end-user experience.

What’s Next…

My Goal is to integrate my experience in Funeral Service, Technology and Operations and contribute to Communities having a Good Experience in Death.

My Mission is to Live everyday to my fullest potential in all that I do, Loving and Living.