Thousands watching virtual funerals online as demand in Australia increases

The number of Australians opting to watch funerals online instead of attending in person has more than doubled in the past year, so guests can tune in from afar.

Mohammad Raydan’s (pictured) brother-in-law Samuel organised for his funeral to be live-streamed so family in Lebanon could watch it. Here Mohammad is pictured with wife Rima and his four year old son Hadi. Picture: Supplied

The number of Australians opting to watch funerals online instead of attending in person has more than doubled in the past year.

Chapels are being fitted with cameras to live-stream farewells so guests can tune in from afar.

Big name funerals like Aretha Franklin and George W. Bush Snr were live-streamed to huge audiences last year, but there’s also demand for smaller occasions to be watchable online.

A quarter of seniors surveyed said they would watch a funeral online. Picture: Supplied/OneRoom

According to funeral streaming provider OneRoom, in 2018 about 4500 people tuned into a virtual funeral for a friend or relative using their service, up from 2000 in 2017.

In late January, Samuel Raydan organised a live-stream to be available for family in Lebanon who were unable to make it to his brother-in-law Mohammad’s funeral.

Mohammad tragically passed away last month after a fight with leukaemia.

Mohammad Raydan died of leukaemia in January, his family arranged for his funeral to be live-streamed to Lebanon. Here he is pictured wife Rima and son Hadi, 4. Picture: Supplied

The 33-year-old had lived most of his life in Australia, and had strong support from the Druze community in Melbourne, who rallied around him during his cancer battle.

Mr Raydan said hundreds showed up to Mohammad’s funeral but hundreds more in Lebanon were unable to make at short notice.

White Lady funerals in Dandenong arranged to live-stream his brother-in-law’s send off direct to the village of Ain Aata.

It was 2am in Lebanon but it allowed about 20 family members to attend online using laptops and smartphones.

Mr Raydan said the live-stream helped Mohammad’s far away family with closure.

“It gave them time to grieve and accept his passing and let them see all his friends and relatives here who came to pay respects,” he said.

He said so many people had showed up to the funeral that the directors had to open up a second room with a live-stream so everyone could fit in the venue.

“He was my best friend, a really humble soul and had the biggest heart in the world,” Mr Raydan said.

Samuel Raydan organised to live-stream his friend Mohammad Raydan’s funeral so it could be watched by family in Lebanon. Here they are pictured with Mohammad’s father Salim and his son Hadi. Picture: Supplied

OneRoom live-streams have been watched in 163 countries, and here most watchers hail from Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne but there’s also plenty of rural viewers.

60 per cent of the global audience comes from New Zealand while 17 per cent are in Australia.

OneRoom CEO David Lutterman said a third watch live and two thirds watch later, due to time zone demands.

57 per cent watch on mobile devices and the rest on computers.

Mr Lutterman said tuning in via live-stream was a way for people to resolve grief and also guilt of not being able to attend a funeral.

Angel Winsor used live-stream from hospital in Canada, as she gave birth shortly after she lost a close friend.

Angel Winsor watched a funeral for a friend from her hospital bed in Canada after giving birth. Picture: OneRoom

She was able to watch the funeral on a tablet from the recovery room.

Gold Coasters Jillian and Roy Fallon wrote of their experience as watchers.

“We felt like we were there with his wife, family and friends to say goodbye. The wonders of technology are truly positive at times like this,” they told OneRoom afterwards.

Nationally, OneRoom is used in more than 100 locations including White Lady and Le Pine in Dandenong.

Le Pine Funeral chapel at Dandenong, Victoria was one of the first venues in Australia to offer OneRoom live-streaming to grieving families. Picture: Invocare

Le Pine Dandenong Funeral Director Cheryl Good said the uptake has been mostly migrant communities who have large extended families overseas.

Mr Luttman added their biggest audiences were from Indian, Vietnamese and Jewish communities.

Le Pine was one of the first locations in Australia to offer OneRoom to grieving families, giving families the option to share their intimate live-stream with as many people as they want to invite.

A funeral attendee watching online. Picture: Supplied/OneRoom

“For most families on the day is a bit of a blur for them, so it allows them to be able to view it again,” Ms Good said.

And according to Mr Lutterman, seniors were highly receptive to the service.

The Seniors Technology Survey by the Australian Seniors Insurance Agency found 27 per cent of over 50s said they would live-stream a funeral.

While virtual funerals are not for everyone, they are clearly helping those who can’t be there in person to connect with their loved ones when they need it most.