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I organized a funeral for my late husband – there were even gift bags and a bouncy castle

Theo

A widow took the phrase “celebration of life” literally after the premature death of her husband.

After her husband Brandon (39) died on May 17 from the effects of a stroke, Katie Young canceled the usual memorial service and wake and instead held a “funeral” in his honor.

“Every time I thought about planning a traditional funeral, I didn’t want to do it,” Young, 40, told the South West News Service.

Katie Young hosted a “funeral” for her late husband. Courtesy of Katie Young / SWNS
Brandon Young died at the age of 39 from the effects of a stroke. Courtesy of Katie Young / SWNS

She added that she did not want her three children – 12-year-old Eleanor, 10-year-old Clyde and 8-year-old Ingrid – to be traumatized by their father’s funeral. Instead, she wanted them to look back on the event and remember their father.

“Every time I thought about planning a traditional funeral for Brandon, I felt physically sick. I couldn’t bear the thought of sitting in a church and crying during speeches,” Young told Newsweek. “It would have been torture for my children and, in turn, unbearable for me.”

Young told SWNS that “horrible memories” of a traditional funeral “wouldn’t feel right for Brandon.”

The 500-guest event, which was documented and shared by a friend in a viral TikTok video with 3 million views, included a bouncy castle, arts and crafts and a selection of Brandon’s favorite foods, chips and dip.

Her husband’s extensive art and album collection was presented to the guests as “goodie bags” upon departure.

“He had a huge record collection that he loved to share with people who appreciated music, so we let people browse through his collection so they could take a piece of him home with them,” she told Newsweek.

Young wanted to make sure Brandon’s departure wasn’t a sad affair, but a party he would have enjoyed attending.

“It was in his favorite place… our home… with his favorite people… his family and friends,” Young told Newsweek. “It was SO Brandon, it felt like he was there.”

Katie Young wanted her children to remember their father with smiles instead of tears. Courtesy of Katie Young / SWNS

She said the “funeral” was a “perfect” representation of his personality and was overjoyed that her children spent the day smiling and not crying.

“The best part of the funeral was that the children had smiles on their faces. They will have only the happiest memories of their father’s funeral instead of it being traumatic,” the mother from Phoenix, Arizona, told SWNS.

“Brandon loved being a father more than anything in the world – he would have been happy if his children were happy.”

The event featured a bouncy castle and arts and crafts for guests. Courtesy of Katie Young / SWNS
Katie distributed her husband’s record collection at the funeral. Courtesy of Sicily Wilcock / SWNS

Young met her husband in 2007 and was immediately taken by his curly hair and their shared love of music.

“He liked to tell the story of how we met – that I was waiting for him in his bed when he came home, and he was right,” Young said, clarifying that she was watching a movie with his roommate and friends when they first saw each other.

The couple married in March 2008 and enjoyed experimenting in the kitchen together and spending time together as a family.

“Some of my fondest memories are of being in the hospital after our children were born – it felt like a sacred time,” she said.

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