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Saving the world on the way out: Why some families are opting for a coral memorial instead of a funeral
A Florida-based charity champions a novel approach to turning the death of a loved one into a life-sustaining memorial.
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How these underwater memorials are saving marine life, one death at a time
When Kailey Newkirk’s mother passed away unexpectedly, her family was at a loss at how she would want to be memorialized. But her mother’s final Facebook post pointed them to a surprising trend in funeral services: coral reef memorials. “It made so much sense that she would want to support marine life habitat when she passed,” Newkirk says. “Mostly because...
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Human composting as alternative to burial and cremation gets final approval by Delaware lawmakers
The Delaware Senate has given final approval to a bill allowing the composting of human bodies as an alternative to burial or cremation.
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Former University of Michigan player Craig Roh dies at age 33 of stage 4 colon cancer
Craig Roh, a former college football standout at the University of Michigan, died of colon cancer at age 33.
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The U.S. has no federal bereavement leave. What to know about options at work when someone you love dies
The U.S. has no federal bereavement leave policy, but workers in mourning still have options. Here’s what they should know.
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5 who survived cardiac arrest describe what they saw and heard before reviving
Every year, more than 350,000 people have a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. Few survive. While many people who have been resuscitated have no memories of the experience, a recent study suggests others recall something, whether it’s a vague sense that people are around them, or more specific dreamlike awareness.
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Maui woman who fled wildfire on foot dies after 53 days in a hospital burn unit
A woman who escaped a wildfire that destroyed the Hawaii community by running through a burning field has died after more than seven weeks in a hospital burn unit.
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Dying to Know
Death is a certainty – one that no one can escape. But for many in modern America, it’s a taboo topic, one far removed from our everyday lives until we’re faced head-on with loss. Take a peek behind the curtain as we explore our relationship with death, meet the people who help us navigate the end of life, and...
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Death becomes her: This Gen Z mortician wants to dispel morbid misconceptions of the funeral industry
The next generation of morticians are female and younger.
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Women are reclaiming a traditional role as many turn to work with the dead and their loved ones
Women are retaking the field of funeral services. Once in the minority, they now make up the majority of mortuary students.
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What is a death doula? The growing field for end-of-life care explained
Death. It’s generally a topic that most people don’t like to discuss, but talking about it can help both the dying and their families.
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Too young, too short, too frail: How the next generation of morticians is breaking the mold
Jolena Grande was one of four women in her class when she studied to become a mortician. Now a professor of mortuary sciences at Cypress College, Grande says most of their students are women, but the next generation is still facing harmful stereotypes on who belongs in death services.
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This Gen-Z mortician is on a mission to demystify death
“Aren’t you scared?” 24-year-old Jasmine Berrios gets a lot of questions about her work as a funeral director and embalmer– her answers may surprise you.
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These doulas are challenging what death should look like: ‘There's no right way to die'
Americans are generally familiar with the work of birth doulas, people who provide support during childbirth. But a growing number of families are finding solace in doulas to help through the end of life, as well.
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Mass. teen dies after taking part in viral spicy chip challenge, family says
A 14-year-old student from Worcester, Massachusetts, died on Friday, officials say, and his family says his death was caused by complications from eating an extremely spicy chip that’s the subject of a viral challenge.
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Former star swimmer died of accidental fentanyl poisoning, police say
A former star swimmer who was found dead in the U.S. Virgin Islands in February died of accidental fentanyl poisoning, police said.
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A Texas man on a trip to spread his dad's ashes died of heat stroke in Utah's Arches National Park
A Texas man whose body was found in Arches National Park in Utah is believed to have died of heat stroke while on a trip to spread his father’s ashes.
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Manslaughter charges possible after US book publishing exec killed in motorboat crash in Italy
A prosecutor in southern Italy says the boat crash that killed a U.S. tourist off the Amalfi Coast is being investigated as a case of possible manslaughter.
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Georgia resident dies from rare brain-eating amoeba
Naegleria fowleri, a rare brain-eating amoeba, killed a Georgia resident after they were likely infected while swimming in a freshwater lake or pond, officials said.
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Jim Hines, Olympic gold medalist sprinter turned NFL wide receiver, dies at 76
Jim Hines died at the age of 76 on Saturday, nearly 55 years after he set a world-record time in the 100-meter at the 1968 Summer Olympics.