Professionals in the death industry are in relationships that are to die for. But not always! Some find it difficult finding a soul mate because of the 24-hour business.
FOX 43’s Rebecca Solomon did some “digging” into the death profession. She learns how happiness from dating someone like a coroner or funeral director may be no different from any other profession.
At any given moment, Dauphin County Coroner, Graham Hetrick returns to the morgue.
Graham says, “Handling a homicide and coming home and trying to be normal when you’ve just seen the worst of mankind.”
But when he’s back at home, he faces some of his biggest challenges. After one failed marriage, Graham met Esmeralda in the late 90’s.
Funeral Director Jason Switek and his fiance Jessica, share similar struggles.
Jason says, “It’s a 24 hour business, there are times in the middle of the night we have people ringing our doorbell for services, so yes, we get up we come down and we help them.”
Jason doesn’t travel far. The couple lives in the Geigel Funeral Home- upstairs! But mixing business with pleasure is not a problem.
Jason says, “When the building was designed, it was built sound proof, so that we don’t hear what’s going on downstairs and they don’t hear anything going on upstairs.”
Not all couples are as lucky in love. That’s why Carla Valentin started dead-meet.com It’s a website to help death professionals find love in an industry that’s always on call.
Valentine says, “We don’t have to limit ourselves to who we come across in the street or bar. Dating sites really are what people are using, so why not one for death professionals?”
The curator of a pathology museum in London started dead-meet last April. A growing number of professionals world-wide are signed into the free-to-join website.
Valentine says, “There are thousands, millions of people out there with similar interests that they can easily get in touch with a website like that and maybe start visiting places like Barts Pathology Museum in London or Mutter Museum, in Philadelphia.”
Still feeling creeped out by dating in the death profession? Relationship experts say there’s no need to. Like with any profession, it’s about falling in love with the person for who they are and not what they do.
Licensed social worker, Andreya Jones says, “In order to have a healthy relationship, you have to have open communication, you have to have trust, you have to work together as a team.”
Jones says honesty and communication are crucial for any relationship.
Jessica says, “The death industry is a little scary, maybe but once I got to start talking to him, I realized, he’s just a regular person.”
Jessica’s excited to be Jason’s wife. Any they could learn a lesson from the Hetricks who say, “We communicate a lot we laugh, laughter is our great medicine.”
Through Graham’s experiences with death, he’s able to love a little more.
He says, “Carpe diem- and you realize everyday you’re getting up , you’re better off than all your customers.”
