At the end of life, documenting what came before
Robert Leonard volunteers with two US hospices, interviewing residents about their most important memories and recording them for their families. His words capture the ups and downs, solace and sadness, love and wonder expressed by the people he meets.
“You know,” she said, “we took that recording you made with Dad, and put it in the side room of the funeral home with all his photos and memorabilia, and put it on loop, and it was just like he was there with us, like he wasn’t gone, hearing him laugh and talk with you, it was wonderful. Wasn’t like a funeral at all, and everyone had a good time just hearing his voice, his stories, and it was more like a party than a funeral, and he would have just loved it, so thank you.” excerpt Des Moines Register