Everyone Grieves Differently… But Deceased 18-Year-Old’s Wake Makes Me REALLY Uncomfortable

I really don’t like open-casket wakes.

I understand many do, and I pass absolutely no judgment. But I guess in my mind… you are not your body. Your body is a vessel that holds you. Once you’ve passed your body isn’t YOU… it’s just a dead body. So I don’t really want to see someone’s dead body once they’ve passed. It’s no longer them. I want my last memory of them to be in life.

I certainly don’t want people looking at my dead body once I’m dead. Remember me in life. Have a picnic. Donate as much as my body as is useable to someone who needs it.

Again… that’s a totally personal opinion that I don’t expect everyone to agree with.

This, on the other hand? It legitimately freaks me out. I’m trying not to be judgmental… it’s just so foreign to me.

Renard Matthews was dressed in Boston Celtics gear and his body was placed in a chair with a video game controller in his hand. https://t.co/aFU1DOnQGY pic.twitter.com/8DsDLWIA1k

— CBS Austin (@cbsaustin) July 9, 2018

Oh no…

I know everyone grieves differently… and my heart truly goes out to the family that lost their boy. But oomph. This just makes me all kinds of queasy.

According to Daily Wire:

An 18-year-old New Orleans man was honored by his family in unusual fashion after he was killed two weeks ago.

For Renar Matthews’ wake, the family dressed their deceased son in a Boston Celtics jersey, placed a video game controller in his hand, and surrounded him with snacks, such as zebra cakes, Doritos, and root beer.

Matthews was placed upright in a recliner chair at Charbonnet Labat Glapion Funeral Home in Treme on Sunday, per the family’s request. The Celtics were on the TV screen playing in front of him.

According to WGNO ABC News, Matthews’ mother, Temeka, said her son was a “homebody” who almost never left the house, until recently when he began to walk his new dog. Matthews was also a huge fan of the NBA’s Boston Celtics, especially guard Kyrie Irving.

The dog part really stings my heart. Dogs are so good for the soul.

Here’s video from the wake:

Again… my heart goes out to them. The loss of an 18-year-old must be devastating.