Mandi Howard is standing beside the casket of a stranger, shedding tears among unfamiliar faces. Despite not knowing the deceased, Howard felt compelled to attend. Having experienced the sudden loss of her sister without a proper farewell, she recognized the importance of this moment. The opportunity arose for volunteer pallbearers to assist in the burial of an unclaimed individual in Oshawa, Ont. Howard, reflecting on her own family members who may be unclaimed due to homelessness or addiction, found solace in participating.
A group of around twelve individuals gathered at an Oshawa cemetery for a brief service. Following casual conversations in the parking lot, they lifted the coffin from the hearse, placed flowers, recited a poem, and sang an impromptu rendition of “Amazing Grace.” Howard contributed by playing a drum and performing a traveling song. She expressed feeling a strong connection with the group, emphasizing that it felt like a gathering of caring relatives bidding farewell to someone deserving of love.
The funeral director disclosed minimal information about the deceased, identified only as Michael, a Toronto resident who experienced homelessness. Municipalities bear the responsibility of covering burial expenses when no friends or family claim the body. Funeral directors like Nathan Romagnoli are tasked with organizing these services, which have become more frequent. Romagnoli noted that this particular cemetery was the sole location accepting unclaimed individuals due to the compensation rates.
Since the onset of the pandemic, the number of unclaimed bodies in Ontario has surged. In 2024, the chief coroner reported 1,436 unclaimed bodies, with a significant portion in Toronto. Raymond Wieser, a volunteer pallbearer and genealogist, highlighted the importance of showing respect to those without families. He described the volunteers as a community of strangers united in honoring the deceased and providing them with a dignified farewell.
Wieser noted that typically, only a few people attend such burials, but on this occasion, there were more pallbearers than needed, demonstrating a collective care and compassion for the departed individual.
