Dear FRONTLINE,

Dear Frontline,

I just happened on your show tonight featuring Thomas Lynch and his funeral home and family. What a wonderful experience--of insight, kindness, understanding, and truth.

I especially appreciatd the expressions of the importance of rituals like the preparation of the body, the funeral service, and the burial. There were so many small statements in the narration that made such an impact in the story. It was well done, with love and respect for the dead.

Baby Anthony will live on in the hearts of those who watched this courageous couple share their intimate thoughts and feelings in a way that educates, reinforces, and explains what a parent's love is. Thank you for this wonderful program.

Judy Kibe
Waterloo, Iowa

Dear FRONTLINE,

What a delicate, haunting piece. I was transfixed by the Verrinos and their painful eloquence and genuinely poetic reflections on their son's life and death.Just a treasure to watch. Thank you for letting me share in those intensely personal journeys.

Erin Lorio
Mandeville, Louisiana

Dear FRONTLINE,

What an insightful program. It allowed me to see an alternative view of a profession that I admit I have a rather jaundiced opinion of, although undertakers carry out a service few would choose to provide.

I would also like to offer my condolences to the families and thank them for their bravery in sharing their stories. I shed more than a few tears.

Elli Barr
Princeton, New

Dear FRONTLINE,

Your presentation of Undertaking brought back both the painful and the tenderest of memories. My father died at home 18 years ago from cancer and was allowed to die on his terms. I was at his side when he took his last breath and went to "eternal sleep." Although I was emotionally unable to be in the room when the gentlemen from the funeral home came in, the family members who were there said the men, dressed respectfully, took my father with all the care and attention would be accorded to one of thier own.

Watching the Undertakers in your show handle the bodies with such grace and compassion, my heart tells me that they are truly exceptional people, overflowing with compassion not only for the living, but the dead as well. You could tell by the little things they did, a gentle pat of the hand, the gentle cradling of the body, things no numerous to mention, that they had nothing but respect for the work they do.

Hearing thier words brought comfort to me, even after this long period since my father left, knowing he was handled with the utmost care and respect. Thank you for producing a show of this nature, one that shares a sprinkling of compassion to the many of us who will always have some grief in our hearts. It reminds us that there are people who truly understand the needs of the living, as well as those who have gone from us.

Ken Flott
Jacksonville, FL

Dear FRONTLINE,

The program "The Undertaking" presented a positive view of how some people experience the death of family members and friends. I agree with Mr.Lynch that a viewing of the deceased is an important part of the acceptance of someone's death.

My sister was murdered and it was not possible to see her remains. For many months I was sure that there was some mistake and that she really was not gone. At that time there were no support groups or hospice programs as there are now.Thanks to professionals like the Lynch family, the experience of losing a loved one can be made less painful

Philadelphia, PA

Dear FRONTLINE,

As a bereavement counselor and part of a family that has been in funeral service for many years, I thank you for this moving profile of the Lynch funeral home and some of the families they served. Thomas Lynch is an eloquent writer who reflects on the mysteries of life and death and how we care for our loved ones.

Honoring life is not about how much money one spends on a service or merchandise in which to place the dead body. Instead, it is about spending time with family and friends, laughing and crying and beginning the journey through grief together. Thank you for sharing these very personal and real stories.

Kimberly Luke
Abingdon, VA

Dear FRONTLINE,

This is in no way meant to disrespect the families in this film. The families' stories, including the Lynches, were the most real and humanistic part of this film. I think that with the resources that Frontline has they should do a part 2 to this film exposing the huge corporations that monopolize the majority of this industry. I had the displeasure of working for one of these corporations and I must say I could not believe the disrespect for death that they have. I was fresh out of college with all of my internships completed in social services. My intention behind getting into the funeral industry was much like that of the Lynches, to take care of people whom were not able to take care of themselves and to take care of the people who they left behind. The goal of the corporation and all of management was to make money! It made me ill. I believe that the Lynches are genuine people who want to do right by the families they serve. I just think that if you are going to analytically look at an undertaker's position or the funeral industry that you can not disregard that it is a billion dollar industry that hires people with sales experience to fill positions taking care of families!

Jessica E.
Chicago, IL

Dear FRONTLINE,

A most deep thank you to all the people who opened themselves up to share their experiences with us all through this program.

My father passed away four years ago at the age of 54. After watching him decline for six months he died in the night at my parents home. I could never be more grateful in the process of his passing than for two things: the hours we were able to keep his body at home, to dress him, to have the undeniable truth of a body without life turning cold, - and secondly that the two men who came for his body were wearing suits.

I have come to feel that being able to encounter the dead in some form of viewing is extremely important in accepting their death. I also feel that viewing a dead body should not have to involve money, formaldehyde, makeup, or the guys in suits, if you don't want it to.

Leslie Schroeder
Madison, Wisconsin

Dear FRONTLINE,

What a wonderful documentary filled with respect and dignity.

While certainly a departure from your hard-hitting norm - I am pleased that you didn't go over the well covered ground of funeral industry excess. This is a perspective which has all but been ignored.

As to the critics both of the documentary and the funeral industry in general, I think that this documentary showed the value of the service in the words of those who give and receive.

Bravo.

Ted Hein
Durham, NC

Dear FRONTLINE,

What a wonderful informative program. This should be shown to all student nurses and doctors so that they may see the treatment and care of the deceased and also the emotion that is involved with the entire process. I sat quietly and watched this show almost reverently. After 30 years as a nurse and having witnessed many deaths both professionally and personally I found this series both compassionate and respectful. Kudos to the Lynch Funeral Home for its highly professional participation and contribution to this topic.

Sharon Teufel RN
Lynchburg , VA

Dear FRONTLINE,

I have been a member of a Funeral Society wherever I have lived for over 40 years. These are volunteer organizations that help people connect with Funeral Homes that will provide low cost funeral services and have also worked for legal changes that protect the consumer. We in South Florida organization have had problems at times finding locally owned funeral homes for our over 4000 members as most funeral homes are now owned by national organizations and do not have any interest in dealing with groups that help consumers.Another new business that is thriving are companies that pre plan funerals for people. These businesses are charging for services that many funeral homes provide or that they can find free for themselves by getting information from their local Funeral Society.As Frontline so ably shown, these are delicate times in the lives of people. The problem is that the prevailing business spirit makes it vital that the consumer beware before they are faced with an overwhelming emotional time.

Boynton Beach, Florida

Dear FRONTLINE,

I discovered your program by accident flipping through the channels. The stories witnessed to on your program were very touching as the way we honour the dead says something about the way we live life. This past weekend in the parish where I serve I celebrated a funeral, a baptism and a wedding. All of which each in their own way celebrated the gift of life, albeit each with their own rich ritual. I find it tragic, however, when the events of life are experienced as separate events, as disjointed frames on a movie reel. Unfortunately in my experience from our culture we can sometimes live a fragmented existence. I thank you for presenting the reality of death with the dignity that it belongs to the rich tapistry of life.

My thanks for the courage of Anthony's family as well as the many others in your program who gave witness to their loved ones.

Fr. Chris Gevaert
Simcoe, Ontario

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you for this look at death. I worked for 13 years as a Hospice Nurse and believe you gave the viewer a very real picture of grief and loss. Whether we want to think about it or not we will all be touched by death. The young family in your documentary serve as a picture of love and grace in their hour of grief. To love someone so much you are willing to let them go is remarkable and still amazing to me, I have worked with a family who had a similar experience and they remain in my thoughts and prayers, but they also remain my hero's for their faith, love for their child and each other. Yes there are problems with the funeral industry, however, those who deal with our loved ones deserve respect for they are the ones who help us cherish our loved ones and say goodbye. The Lynch family represent the best in the industry.

Katherine Morris
burbank, IL

Dear FRONTLINE,

By reading the above comments, one can see the variety of emotions death arouses. Every living person has their own way of accepting the death of a dear one. If one does not appreciate Mr. Lynch's style and class, go elsewhere. We are fortunate in our South Buffalo neighborhood to still have a few family-run Funeral Homes that provide a service that is conducted in a very personal and comforting way. Maybe tonight's show was about how American's handle death, but I was never so moved by a TV program after watching the Verrinos' story. The courage and strength they displayed is amazing. I admire their openness. Hopefully by discussing their tragedy, it will serve as a way to help heal their pain.

Courtney Lenahan
Buffalo, NY

Dear FRONTLINE,

I have recently experienced the deaths of a beloved younger sister and my mother. Those who criticized this program as abetting the funeral home industry should walk a mile in our shoes. In both my sister's and my mother's cases, we opted for a plain pine box instead of an expensive casket. Embalming was presented as an option, as was cremation. At no time did we feel pressured to buy a more expensive package. The funeral director even went out of his way to make sure that my sister's body was transported to the nursing home where my mother resided so that she could say goodbye to her precious daughter at a private memorial service. The main thing those who criticize the industry should do is make their wishes known to their loved ones. I plan to donate my body to science (I have also signed up as an organ donor) and have asked my family to cremate me afterwards and scatter my ashes along some of the hiking trails I have enjoyed.

As for the Verrinos - thank you both so much for sharing your story with us. I cannot imagine the grief that you have undergone and my heart goes out to you. My tears are still flowing when I think of you and your sweet boy.

Kathleen Callaghan
Baton Rouge, Louisiana