New American ways to depart the mortal coil
Gonzo journalist Hunter S Thompson had his remains shot out of a cannon to the tune of ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ while Star Trek James “Scotty” Doohan’s blasted his ashes into space.
In the US more personalised exits are being developed by baby boomers planning their final farewell.
“Boomers want to do things differently. It’s all about making funeral arrangements a part of our lives,” said Michelle Cromer, author of Exit Strategy, which explores more than a dozen unique farewells.
Eternal Reefs mixes ashes into an environmentally-safe, ball-shaped concrete “memorial reef” placed in the ocean to create a new marine habitat.
Space Services Inc launches cremated remains into a suborbital flight, an earth orbit, while Angels Flight Inc packs ashes into fireworks for a bang-up service on land or at sea.
The Eternal Ascent Society has an order to release a five-foot, biodegradable helium balloon containing ashes so his friends can shoot at the balloon until it bursts and scatters the ashes.
Offbeat requests are changing the basic nature of the funeral business. “Clients want more control. They want a service to reflect their lives,” said Debora M Kellom, a spokesperson for the National Funeral Directors Association.
