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Limitless Sea Burials, 5608 17ave NW, Seattle, WA (2026)

08/05/2026

When there has been an early pregnancy loss, stillbirth, or neonatal death, families are not only grieving the death of their baby, but they are also mourning an entire future that they had begun to imagine. The nursery may already be painted, tiny onesies folded neatly in drawers, newborn diapers ready to be used, and artwork from their own childhood even nostalgically hung on the walls. Or perhaps you had only just begun imagining the life you hoped to share with your baby, with the crib and highchair still to be added to your online registry. Meanwhile, family and friends may also be eagerly anticipating the arrival of the newest little one.
Then, in a moment, every expectation changes. Along with losing their baby, families lose countless experiences they had looked forward to. They mourn birthdays that will never come, first days of school that will never be photographed, and smiles they will never witness. And perhaps one of the most painful losses of all is in the simple act of leaving the hospital to bring their baby home.
When you leave the hospital empty-handed, feeling robbed of these experiences, you may assume these longed-for cherished moments are gone forever. What many people do not realize is that, depending on the circumstances and the condition of the baby, funeral professionals may be able to help create some of these meaningful experiences for you. While every situation is unique and not every option is possible, there are often opportunities for families to spend precious time with their baby in ways they may have never thought to ask about.
Every family's grief is deeply personal. While some parents want to spend every possible moment with their baby, others may feel emotionally unable to do so. Some find comfort in inviting siblings, grandparents, or close loved ones to participate, while others prefer private time. There is no right or wrong way to grieve or experience this, and it is absolutely okay for each parent to need something different from the other while processing their grief. The important thing is knowing that you have choices, both together and separately, if desired.
Parents and caregivers experiencing infant loss are making decisions while navigating profound shock and grief. In those first days, it is completely understandable if you do not know what questions to ask or even realize what choices exist for honoring and spending time with your baby. You may assume that your time with your baby has ended once you leave the hospital, but that is not always the case. If you are facing the unimaginable loss of a baby, please don't be afraid to ask your funeral director what experiences may be possible. Funeral professionals are there not only to care for your baby but also to care for you and your family. Many funeral homes are willing to personalize their services in ways that can provide comfort and create lasting memories.
When you meet with your funeral director, don't feel that the conversation must focus only on burial, cremation, or other necessary arrangements. Sharing your hopes for your baby and the experiences you wish you could have had can help your funeral director understand what is most meaningful to your family. By sharing those wishes, your funeral home may be able to suggest personalized ways to honor your baby.
Depending on your baby's condition and the services offered by the funeral home, these opportunities may include bathing your baby, dressing them in clothing you have chosen, wrapping them in a favorite blanket, taking photographs, creating handprints or footprints if they were not made at the hospital, reading a favorite children's book, singing lullabies, placing stuffed animals or letters with them, or simply spending private, unhurried time holding and rocking your baby. While every situation is unique and not every option is possible, asking what may be available can open the door to cherished moments and memories that many families treasure for a lifetime.
For families experiencing an early pregnancy loss, meaningful rituals may look different. Depending on gestational age, individual circumstances, and local laws and regulations, families may still have opportunities to acknowledge their baby’s life through keepsakes, memorialization, photographs, ceremonies, or other personalized acts of remembrance. Speaking with your funeral director early in the process can help you understand what options may be available and what spending time with your baby may look like. For some early losses, especially those in the first trimester, this may include gentle moments such as holding your baby in a small container or shroud designed to provide comfort and support, whether at the funeral home or within your own home. Depending on the circumstances and local requirements, some families may be able to leave the medical facility with their baby, while in other situations the funeral home may legally need to assist with transportation and care. Because laws, hospital policies, and gestational age requirements vary by state, it is important to ask your healthcare provider and funeral director what options may be available where you live. Communicating your wishes with both your funeral director and medical care team can help ensure your family receives guidance and support throughout the process.
Perhaps one of the least-known possibilities is that, in certain circumstances, some funeral homes may be able to help families spend time with their baby at home before final arrangements are completed. Many families assume this is impossible because no one has ever told them otherwise. When appropriate and logistically feasible, this private visit can provide an opportunity for families to both welcome and say goodbye to their baby in a space that feels more sacred. It is not a service every family will choose, nor is it appropriate in every circumstance, but for those who desire it, the experience can be profoundly meaningful.
Imagine sitting quietly in the nursery that had been lovingly prepared months before. Rocking your baby in the chair where bedtime stories were meant to be read. Introducing them to siblings, grandparents, or even the family pet. Simply existing together as a family within the home that had been waiting for them. The visit may last only a short time, but its significance can last a lifetime. For many parents, bringing their baby home transforms a house filled with painful "what ifs" into a place that also holds a real memory that says, "Our baby was here." It does not erase the heartbreak, but it replaces one imagined loss with a tangible moment of love.
These moments can become opportunities to express love, create lasting memories, and spend precious time with your baby in ways you may have thought were no longer possible. Even the simplest acts of caring for your baby can restore a small sense of control during an unimaginable loss. If these experiences are important to you, don’t hesitate to ask your funeral director what may be possible. While every situation is different, many funeral homes are willing to explore ways to support and care for your family.
Author’s Note: While these opportunities can become cherished memories, it is important to understand that not every option is possible in every circumstance. What can be offered depends on your baby's condition and can only be determined once the funeral home has your child in their care. In some situations, your funeral director may discuss and recommend embalming as one possible option to help preserve your baby's natural appearance, allow additional time for family members to gather, or make certain forms of viewing and holding possible. Choosing embalming does not mean you must choose burial; families may still choose cremation or aquamation afterward if those are their preferred forms of disposition. Honest conversations with your funeral director can help you understand what options are available for your family's unique situation.
This article has been written in dedication to baby Robert.

When there has been an early pregnancy loss, stillbirth, or neonatal death, families are not only grieving the death of their baby, but they are also mourning an entire future that they had begun to imagine. The nursery may already be painted, tiny onesies folded neatly in drawers, newborn diapers r...

08/03/2026

Where Do I Go From Here?Nearly seven months after losing her soul dog, Lexi, Meagan reflects on how grief has changed her life and her sense of self. She shares the challenge of moving forward without trying to "move on," the importance of taking life one step at a time, and how finding people who truly understand pet loss has helped her feel less alone.

Nearly seven months after losing her soul dog, Lexi, Meagan reflects on how grief has changed her life and her sense of self. She shares the challenge of moving forward without trying to "move on," the importance of taking life one step at a time, and how finding people who truly understand pet loss...

07/23/2026

Reader, he died.
I’ve devoted my career to death. As a scholar of Victorian disease, I think about death nearly every day, but this did not protect me from the sucker punch of loss. Neither did his slow, prolonged decline, nor my slow, growing awareness of his coming end, like a roller coaster inching to the crest of a hurtling drop.
It hit me as I cradled my dog’s dead body: I was 32, a specialist in death, and I’d never seen a co**se before this moment. Even as my animalistic cries mingled with actual animal cries in the veterinarian’s office, the scholar in me awoke. How had I never seen a co**se? It struck me as I stroked his soft, velvet ears, no longer responsive to my love, that this separation from death—pervasive in modern society—is actually culturally and historically unprecedented.

Evidence of rituals associated with death is ancient—burials of modern humans date back about 30,000 years, a testament to the very human need for a physical means of coping with loss. Jewish communities sit shiva. At funerals, mourners also tear pieces of their clothing to mark the permanent rift left in the fabric of their lives. In Croatia, going into mourning is still standard. But in America and much of Western Europe, we’ve scrubbed society clean of anything that bespeaks death. We tend to see ourselves as beyond the pale of infectious disease, and we have developed an entire funeral industry to cart away death so we don’t have to see it. Yet, by privileging ourselves with this social sanitation that offers a fantasy of life free from death, we have, in fact, robbed ourselves of any means of coping with it.
Caught in a vortex of loss, I felt profoundly the productive communal purpose of Victorian mourning culture. Victorian novelists often refer to mourning culture with wry disdain. I can appreciate their critique: After all, you were expected to go into mourning for your husband whether you were desperately in love with him or whether he was an abusive sadist. But in doing away with what can seem like fussy external markers of a deeply personal state, we’ve thrown the baby out with the bathwater.
Expected to teach my classes on Victorian culture and live my life with the stoic professionalism of the unbereaved, I felt lost after his death. I needed others to see me—to acknowledge my grief. Somehow that eased the nauseating feeling that my loss of something tangible was itself intangible. So, with the existential defiance of the bereft, I went into Victorian mourning. I wore black clothes and jet jewelry for weeks, comforted by their mute message: “Here stands loss … unalterable, unutterable loss.” In 2019, though, my mourning cues were indecipherable. How I wished, in that black hole of clawing grief, that they were readable signs calling for community support when I didn’t have the strength to ask for it.
Victorian mourning culture was as complex as modern-day weddings. Bodies stayed in the family home for extended periods, giving families time to make sense of the same bodies they had always known, now lifeless. Black clothes were standard for up to two years, depending on the relationship with the deceased, after which muted purples and grays were permissible. Death literally colored daily life. After a flu epidemic in 1890, the streets were seas of black and purple foot traffic. Everything from jewelry to stationery to vehicles were marked with mourning symbols, communicating to correspondents and passersby that death had touched the writer of that letter, the person in this carriage. Families hired public mourners to walk with them to the cemetery, a means of asking for community witness to the expansive, enormous, all-consuming nature of private loss. They took one last photograph of their departed, and often clipped hair from their heads to braid into jewelry.

Today, my students often find these practices revolting, but they make sense to me. Ritual pads desperation. It gives us something to hold on to, literally and figuratively, a presence to mark an absence that feels like it will swallow us whole. I too clipped a lock of his hair and stored it away in an envelope to be sent to the few people who still practice the art of weaving Victorian hair jewelry for mourners. It’s not off-putting to me, because it was him—a cherished life connected to mine. It’s the last remaining vestige of his DNA—why wouldn’t I hoard it greedily when I’ve been deprived of every other part of his presence?
At a wedding recently, six months after his death, I found one of his hairs on my dress, death clinging to life at a celebration of love. What is more beautiful than this? This loss, this life, this love, all there together, among a crowd of unwitting wedding guests. I let the strand of hair go, watching as it drifted in the wind. This was another ritual concoction of mine in a world that gave me no structure for my grief, and I used it to wish for a world that did.

This article originally appeared in Yes! Magazine. Yes! Media is a nonprofit, independent publisher of solutions journalism.

Black clothing. Jewelry made from hair. Postmortem photos. Beneath the Victorian aesthetics was a radical idea: grief deserves to be seen.

07/02/2026

Many of us have seen at least part of a military funeral, either in person, on TV, or in the movies. Although not every President has served in the military, they are typically accorded military honors at their state funerals, which is where many of us have seen these highly orchestrated, ritualized tributes. For families of active-duty service members, the funeral will be the final step in a series of formalized events that begin with the official death notification. For retired service members, it may be their families’ first contact with the military in many years.
Any member of the military who dies during active duty, veterans discharged or retired honorably with at least one full period of active-duty service, and selected reserve or National Guard members who have completed at least one enlistment term are eligible for both military funeral honors and burial in a VA cemetery. In these cemeteries, services never take place at the actual gravesite for both safety and privacy reasons (although once the deceased is buried, the family is given the gravesite location and is free to visit whenever they wish).
(Note: Arlington National Cemetery has different requirements. All honorably discharged service persons may be inurned there, but to be eligible for in-ground burial, a service member must have died on active duty (excluding training), retired honorably from full military service, or have received high-level recognition awards like a Purple Heart.)
Although there are different levels of military funeral honors, all eligible active or retired service members are entitled to at least an honor detail, official folding of the flag, and the playing of TAPS. There is a standard flow to military funerals, which consists of:

Procession: The casket or urn is processed to the cemetery, accompanied by at least two soldiers in uniform (the honor detail). The casket is always draped with an American flag. If the deceased has been cremated, the flag will be pre-folded and carried in the procession by a uniformed officer walking to the right of the urn. The flag is then unfolded when the service begins.

Occasionally, what is called The Riderless Horse may be part of the funeral procession. In this stunning visual, a horse (sometimes with a black blanket laid over its back under the saddle and referred to as being “caparisoned”) is saddled with a pair of empty boots facing backward, meant to symbolize the deceased looking back one last time on his troops. This honor is reserved for Presidents of the United States, Secretaries of Defense, and Army or Marine Corp. Colonels or higher. Riderless horses are sometimes also used in military parades (such as the Memorial Day Parade).

Arrival at the Committal Service Shelter. If being buried/inurned at a VA cemetery, the Committal Service Shelter is where the service will take place. These shelters are designed as open-air spaces (with roofs to protect from rain) and are usually located quite near the cemetery entrance. For someone buried in a civilian cemetery, the service can be held at the gravesite. Either a military or civilian chaplain can perform a short service here at either location.

For those entitled to Full Military Honors, upon conclusion of the service, there will be a salute consisting of three synchronized rounds fired into the air (blanks are used). In the U.S., Presidents are entitled to a 21-gun salute, which uses cannons rather than rifles, with 21 rounds fired.

After the salute (if applicable), TAPS will be played. Many are familiar with TAPS; its haunting, slow notes symbolizing saying goodbye. TAPS was only added to the military funeral ritual during the Civil War. Before that, it was simply used to signal the end of the day and a call to bed, with the lights out.

Whether the deceased is casketed or inurned, once the service concludes, the flag is folded 13 times. The 13 folds represent the United States’ original 13 colonies, and each fold also honors the deceased, their fellow soldiers who have died in battle, and the soldier’s family. After folding, the flag is presented to the family.

Once all the rites have been performed, a formal expression of condolences by the chaplain or clergy may take place. If the burial/inurnment occurs at Arlington, a member of the Arlington Ladies will pay the condolences to the family. The Arlington Ladies are a volunteer corps of women with a connection to the military who formed in 1948 to ensure that no veteran is ever buried alone. The Lady assigned to the family will have the same connection to the deceased’s branch of the military and is an official representative of the branch of service’s chief of staff.

Depending on the place of burial and the service member's role at the time of death, the military will cover some or all of the costs associated with the funeral and burial. Any service member, either on active duty or honorably discharged, is eligible to be buried in a military cemetery at no cost, which includes the burial, headstone, and perpetual care of the gravesite. Funeral home costs are additional. If a soldier dies while on active service, the military pays all costs, including any funeral home expenses. If a retired veteran chooses to be buried in a civilian cemetery, the government provides a small burial allowance and a free, very simple headstone.
Loss of an active-duty service member or veteran carries its own unique grief. Even though the military provides support through the funeral process, families can frequently feel overwhelmed with paperwork, and the military itself may promote a culture of stoicism that makes it more difficult to reach out for emotional support. If you’ve lost a family member on active duty or who was a veteran, a supportive funeral director can really make all the difference, sometimes even filing paperwork and dealing with the VA on your behalf. After the funeral, the VA may provide brief and bereavement services to the family, depending on whether the service member was on active duty at the time of their death or was receiving Veterans’ Center services. Family members of both active-duty service members and veterans who die by su***de are also eligible for bereavement support. Other organizations, such as TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), can also provide comfort.
It is no accident that these military funerals are tightly choreographed. In an episode of The Funeral Channel Podcast, I learned that the precision with which they are carried out is intentional, a steadying force against the unpredictability of grief. “[Military funerals] are meticulously engineered to communicate respect and gratitude, but more importantly, from a psychological standpoint, they’re designed to physically and emotionally carry the family through an experience that might otherwise completely crush them,” the podcast hosts told us. Having all logistics mapped out in advance and receiving military assistance during the ceremony removes the burden of decision-making from the family. They go on to say, “Their grief is no longer theirs to carry alone. The state steps in to help them shoulder the burden.” This kind of intentional care is intended to be distinctive, reflecting the deceased’s commitment to their country and the country’s recognition of the family’s sacrifice.

Many of us have seen at least part of a military funeral, either in person, on TV, or in the movies. Although not every President has served in the military, they are typically accorded military honors at their state funerals, which is where many of us have seen these highly orchestrated, ritualized...

06/26/2026

Remembering the Children There is a grief unlike any other—the grief that follows the death of a child. This July, during […]
The post Remembering the Children appeared first on HealGrief.

There is a grief unlike any other—the grief that follows the death of a child. This July, during Bereaved Parents Awareness Month, we pause t

05/28/2026

If you or someone close to you has just received a terminal diagnosis, it’s normal to feel shocked and unsure of what to do next. Figuring out where to begin and who to contact can be overwhelming. The good news is that many end-of-life providers are available and often work together to support you to guide you through these difficult times. They frequently can refer you to other providers as well. Having the right resources can ease anxiety for both you and your loved one. Here are some providers you may want to speak with and utilize.
End-of-Life Doulas
These non-medical professionals are trained to provide a compassionate presence and assistance as one approaches the end of life. Their roles can range from being a companion and a listening ear, to supporting legacy projects (writing letters, putting together scrapbooks), organizing the house, and helping you start to think about what you might want for a funeral—including home funerals. In addition, some doulas offer energy healing, like Reiki or massage.
It is important to know that there is no state-wide or national certification or licensing for end-of-life doulas, so you’ll want to look closely at someone’s training or use someone who is recommended by a friend or community member you trust. You can also find an end-of-life doula near you by visiting the National End of Life Doula Association (NEDA) website and using their directory. Doulas can often suggest funeral directors they know and connect you with other resources, like senior move managers.
Hospice
If you or your loved one has a terminal diagnosis, you may want to choose hospice care. Hospice offers ‘whole person care,’ which means they support both physical and spiritual needs, whether religious or not. Care can take place in a hospital, nursing home, assisted living facility, an inpatient hospice, or at home. Hospice staff visit to provide social work, spiritual care, nursing, and medical help, and they can provide medical supplies as well. Most hospices also have trained volunteers who can visit for up to two hours a week to offer companionship. If you’re in a hospital or nursing home, or being discharged home, these facilities often work with hospice organizations and can refer you. Your doctor can also make a referral, or you can sometimes contact a hospice directly if you have the right paperwork from your doctor. The Hospice Analytics website has a locator tool to help you find options. Hospice services are often covered by both Medicare and Medicaid as well as private insurance. (Check with your providers to verify coverage.) They can usually suggest funeral directors they trust and may know end-of-life doulas in your area.
Home Care Agencies
If you choose home hospice, your family may need to provide care around the clock. Hospices sometimes offer respite care, but the hours can be limited. If your family can’t cover all the care, you may need to hire home care attendants. Many agencies offer licensed attendants, and you can find them by searching state directories or looking up terms like “New York Home Care Agencies.” You can also ask friends who have hired home care privately and may know providers or groups of providers who work together. For Medicaid patients, some home care hours might be covered, but Medicare usually does not pay for this service.
Legal and Medical Paperwork
This is a good time to review your or your loved one’s estate paperwork. Most hospices require a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order to be signed, and this is a good time to review health care proxies, living wills, and wills and trusts. If you do not have an estate attorney, you can find one at FindLaw.com. You can also ask any lawyer you know and trust for a referral. Attorneys can sometimes recommend a Senior Move Manager, a funeral director, or an end-of-life doula.
Move to Facility
If you or your loved one cannot return home and needs to move permanently to a nursing facility or assisted living environment, you can start by reading reviews at SeniorLiving.org or A Place for Mom. Next, consider touring the facility and speaking to current residents and their family members. If the move is to an inpatient hospice, touring the hospice is also helpful. When you visit any facility, consider asking the following questions:

How many staff members are there per patient? Is a nurse available at all times? If a hospital visit is needed, can you choose which hospital to go to, or do you have to use the nearest one?
Does the facility have volunteers? What services do they offer?
Are there set visiting hours, or can visitors come at any time?
Does the facility have a residents’ council?

You can also hire a private caregiver in a facility if you want. Facilities may be able to suggest funeral directors and care agencies.
Senior Move Managers
If you are moving out of your home, you might want to hire a senior move manager. This title is protected, and anyone using it must meet the standards of the National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers, including insurance, ethics, and safety. You can find a directory on their website. They may also recommend estate attorneys or estate sale agents.
Estate Sale Agents
If you or your loved one is moving and have items you won’t be taking, and you think some might be valuable, you can talk to an estate sale agent to see if an estate sale is a good option. They usually take a percentage of the profits and will dispose of or donate anything that doesn’t sell.
If you think the items left behind have little or no value, you can contact a company like Junkluggers. They usually donate anything in good condition and dispose of the rest. Junkluggers may also be able to recommend senior move managers.
Funeral Directors/Home Funeral Directors
The best way to find a funeral director may be to ask people you know but you can also find a funeral director using the Find a Funeral Home search tool on RememberingALife.com. There are many wonderful funeral directors and people love to recommend these service professionals with whom they’ve had positive experience. If you live in a small community, you may already know and have worked with a trusted funeral director. Although it may feel scary or too soon to begin to have these conversations, you’ll find once you or your loved one’s arrangements are planned that you’ll feel a great sense of relief.
Putting together a team like this can go a long way towards easing your anxiety at this truly difficult time. It’s normal to feel alone or lost after a serious diagnosis and be unsure where to start or the first steps to take. The professionals listed above often work well together, and your community might even have a group focused on end-of-life care that can help with referrals. Don’t hesitate to reach out to any of them to talk about your needs and plans. They are there to help, so you can focus on what matters most right now.
The resources and organizations referenced in this post are provided solely for informational purposes and reflect the author’s individual recommendations. Any content or resources that are not produced by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) or Remembering A Life do not constitute an endorsement. NFDA and Remembering A Life do not officially support, evaluate, or endorse any external resources, products, or organizations mentioned.

https://www.rememberingalife.com/blogs/blog/what-to-do-after-a-terminal-diagnosis-end-of-life-care-and-support-resources-for-families

If you or someone close to you has just received a terminal diagnosis, it’s normal to feel shocked and unsure of what to do next. Figuring out where to begin and who to contact can be overwhelming. The good news is that many end-of-life providers are available and often work together to support yo...

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