This is a sponsored conversation, in collaboration with Skylawn Memorial Park. All opinions are mine.
I recently posted about Funeral PrePlanning, with Skylawn Memorial Park. Today, I wanted to share more on this topic.
First, I want to explain why I’ve decided to write about something many would avoid. When I started this blog, years ago, I promised I’d always keep it real. I told you I’d be writing about “the good, the bad, and the ugly” and topics others considered taboo.
As a Mom who’s experienced two miscarriages, I know firsthand how people tend to shy away from the subject of death. Death and dying, are just as much a part of life, as pregnancy and the birth of a baby. We cannot escape it, we have all lost loved ones, and we’ll all pass away one day.
We need to normalize conversations about death and dying. We must educate ourselves on topics like wills, end-of-life care, and funeral planning. The more knowledgeable we are, the better prepared we’ll be to make important decisions.
My hope is that by writing & talking about funerals & preplanning, I’ll be able to slowly chip away at the stigma associated with these discussions.
Now that I’ve addressed that, it’s time to get back to today’s post.
I remember a few years back, one of my FB friends lost her husband. He was working in another state, when he had a heart attack & passed away.
What happens if I, (or a loved one), pass away in another state or country?
Here’s what the staff at Skylawn Memorial Park shared with me:
That’s a great question, and something many people don’t really think about. Accidents happen all the time. We can’t predict the future. If you, or a loved one, passes away far from home, somebody will need to pay to have your body transported back to your hometown. As you can imagine, this can be extremely costly.
Safely Home– “At Skylawn, we have a solution for our families who experience the unfortunate, but common, occurrence of a death away from home – our Safely Home plan. Our families can pay for this plan in full, or finance for 12 monthly payments. The plan costs $495, with no additional fees. It covers them for up to $10,000 in expenses, to bring their body back to a local funeral home of their choice. We would hope that the family would choose Skylawn, yet in the event that they do not live locally or have a relationship with another funeral home; the Safely Home plan will bring them back to the funeral home of their choice. They will not be cremated prior to transport, unless it is in their plans to be cremated prior to their service. We want to make sure the family has one last chance to be with them prior to their cremation or funeral service. There are some restrictions that apply, which our Advisors are happy to explain to families.”
I had no idea things like the Safely Home plan even existed, did you? This is what I’m talking about when I say we need to normalize these conversations. This is valuable information that we should all know. I realize this is a topic many prefer to avoid, but how does avoiding it help? It doesn’t. In fact, avoiding it probably causes more harm than good, because it leaves us uninformed.
I’m glad the Safely Home plan is an option, and want to thank Skylawn Memorial Park for sharing it with me. I’d much rather pay $495 now, than $10,000 later. How about you? Imagine passing away in another state, or country, and your family trying to bring your body back home. If I can save my family the stress of going through that, I will. Safely Home relieves that burden.
If you’d like more info on the plan, or preplanning a funeral, be sure to call Skylawn at 650-227-3142. You may also request their FREE Preplanning Guide here.
Be sure to share this post with family and friends, thank you.
