If you have just experienced the sudden death of a loved one, many things demand your attention. While life may never be the same again, you will find a new normal in the future. Meanwhile, some things need taking care of now.
Plan a Funeral
Most people choose to have a funeral after someone dies. You will want to work with a funeral home to plan a service that is as special as the person who has passed on. While it is normal to have the funeral within a few days of someone’s passing, it is not a requirement, and you may want to postpone a funeral until a later time. Others choose not to have a funeral; instead, they hold a celebration of that person’s life. Usually, these celebrations are held at a place that was significant to the individual, such as a sports stadium, bar or church. Still, others opt to have the remains cremated and then spread the ashes in a private ceremony, surrounded by a few close friends.
Find Closure
Most people go through a common grieving process. The initial reaction may be immense anger. Then, most people enter a period of bargaining where they promise unrealistic things if a higher power will just bring the individual back. Immense depression is usually the next phase. People often find themselves crying uncontrollably, and they cannot even understand what is causing them to feel so sad. Finally, people move into accepting death while cherishing the time that they got to spend with the individual. Finding closure may include following through with legal action in the case of a wrongful death. There is no set time that it takes to move through each phase. Many people also find that they move back and forth between stages frequently.
Handle Legal Aspects
The legal things that have to be taken care of during a sudden death can seem overwhelming. You will need help from a competent attorney as there are wills that must be read for the probate process to start. You will also need to notify the person’s employer and insurance companies. If the person has named an executor of their estate, then that person needs to obtain records from many different places, including banks. If not, then the court will name an administrator before legal work needs to be completed.
Going through a sudden death can be very emotional. Remember to take care of yourself first, which will give you the energy you need to focus on others.
One thing you need to do in the event of a tragic death like this is to place an obituary where people can find it. That’s what MyObits is here to help with. We make the obituary process as easy and pain free as possible, so that as many people can know about their passing as possible.
