Discussion»Statements»Rosie's Corner» Heartbreaking. A Potter's Field has been set up on Hart Island in New York where unclaimed bodies are taken for burial. Unclaimed?
To be fair, they will gladly give the bodies to anyone who will claim them. Did you know that the law states that whoever claims a body has to pay to have it "taken care of"? If you thought birth was expensive, wait until you see how much it costs to die!
Sadly, there are many who die with no one. No, family. No friends. No anyone. Some because they outlived everyone else, others because they never had anyone.
As I said my friend HEARTBREAKING. Die with dignity surrounded by loved ones. That is the Norman Rockwell version. SIGH. Thank you for your thoughtful reply Shuhak and Happy Sunday. Celebrating resurrection is not easy for those who've lost loved ones or are themselves dying. Hard to know what to hold onto today.
I hold onto Jesus. The world may fall apart (diseases, earthquakes, fires, stock market crashes, etc.) but He never fails, never leaves, never forsakes. Trying to hold onto anything in this world is fruitless and can only end in sorrow.
That's awful, and as Shuhak says, many do die alone in the world. This pandemic has highlighted the situation.
The News in Britain reported the mass graves, but I don't think they mentioned as far as I heard, unclaimed bodies. So, are all those buried on Hart island, unclaimed?
Are they at least known though, by name? I guess any unfortunates who died homeless might have been unknown, but surely the hospitals and authorities at least have names for most, that can be eventually be inscribed on a memorial above them?
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When my sister started working for our Council's burials and cremations department, under her desk was a supermarket carrier-bag with a few ragged oddments, left by someone who'd died homeless and on the streets. The Council were trying to trace any relatives, but I don't think they ever succeeded. At least he'd probably had the final dignity of being found within hours of dying, or had been found still alive and rushed to hospital; not the terrible situation of dying at home but not discovered for many months.
That is infinitely sad Durdle. Did you see the movie "Schindler's List"? The most heartbreaking scene for me among many in that movie was that very long table with the belongings of those who died all piled up in heaps. All that was left of those who had owned them. A ghastly end of life. This is ghastly too. With so many dying there could theoretically be no one left to claim anyone. Especially uf the goal of opening up the economy as soon as possible happens. The job your sister has I could not do. It must pain her a great deal to do it. Thank you for your thoughtful and informative reply. I don't how long we will be in this dark tunnel but once we emerge we will never be the same again...those of us who survive. Take care and Happy Sunday to you m'dear.
Yes, I am pretty sure I have seen Schindler's List. I'm a bit uncertain because I am not expert on films and had an idea there was another on the theme. At least in the present situation all those deaths are from a disease, not murder.
There was a rather disturbing documentary on the radio last night about the huge number of homeless people in the original "Silicon Valley" (San Jose), where even the many of them who do have full-time work cannot afford the very high rents or mortgages in the area. Some use all-night buses as nigh-shelters, others sleep in tents or vehicles. The programme explained the big IT companies like Google and Apple have built their enormous headquarters there, but housing developments have not kept up with the demand. It did not mention the pandemic, and anyway the American journalist who presented it had made it a while ago; but I do wonder what would happen if the virus reaches all those people.
I suppose Cath has become used to her work without becoming hard. She is described as a "Bereavement Counsellor" but I don't know how much counselling she actually does. I think a good deal of her work is administrative rather than personal.
I had a long phone conversation with a friend who is a medical lecturer, so knows why these epidemics occur although she's not an epidemiologist. They are animal diseases that have transferred to humans, by human actions. She said it is just as well Ebola was contained as tightly as it was - basically martial law, by soldiers who'd probably have had no compunction about shooting anyone if necessary - because if it had gone around the world like Corvid-19 is doing, it would have had a far, far higher death-toll than Corvid. Ebola is incurable and almost always fatal.
Strange and dark times, and many say things won't be the same again. Well, they might, but not for a long time yet.
Here is my problem with you stu. My opening word is HEARTBREAKING. Your focus is on correcting what you think is a false assumption on my part and providing me with a link to educate me. The difference between you and me. Where is your heart?
My heart is right here, and of course what's going on is horrible. I live here and personally know people who have been affected by this. Sorry to give a different impression.
You can't help whom you are stu. Your entire being seems to focus on correcting others. It must give you some pleasure to do so. Being honest gives me pleasure. Thank you for your reply. You say your heart is exactly where it should be. May it always be thus and serve you well.
11 "page downs" will get you to the start of the section that includes the following summary of recent information.
It is from the Wikipedia site that Stu cites and was the my second link I looked at---.
During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in New York City, Hart Island was designated as the temporary burial site for victims of COVID-19 if deaths overwhelmed the capacity of mortuaries; this option was chosen in lieu of using city parks for such a purpose.[71][72][73] Deaths at home within the city had increased significantly, though the corpses were not tested for COVID-19.[74] Preparations for mass graves began at the end of March 2020.[70] Early the next month, Reuters reported that private contractors were hired to replace inmate labor for mass grave burials,[75] and burials began.[76][77] The work is being carried out by Rikers Island inmates.[78]
Shuhak 