Written By: Amber Sánchez
From the storied streets of Salem, Massachusetts, Amber Sanchez is a published historical fiction writer and preservation advocate. Her past work includes tourism and tomb stone restoration at the famed Charter Street Cemetery, wherein she preserved stones of names like Judge John Hathorne and Elizabeth Proctor. She’s a currently a junior enrolled at Tulane University, studying English and Historic Preservation. And, this summer, she begins her internship at O’Donnell, where she hopes to learn the ins and outs of funeral service.
When I was born, there were already ten seasons of the hit sitcom “Friends.” So, one can imagine that in my twenty years since then, I have not gained much experience on death or even–in broader terms–life. And yet, in my second year of my undergrad, I ended up drawn to a profession that deals with both: funeral service.
My name is Amber Sánchez, and I am a summer intern here at O’Donnell. My past work in tombstone preservation at Charter Street Cemetery in Salem, MA inspired my love of preservation work, something I’d hoped to do long term. Yet, I faced many obstacles in the historic preservation field that made the dream more difficult. And so, I began searching for a future career path that had similar aspects of preserving memory. I was soon drawn to reach out to O’Donnell in the hopes of getting a look into the funeral business. All I knew about funeral homes was from the 1991 movie “My Girl,” which really only taught me what the word “hemorrhaging” means. I wanted to investigate the funeral business to learn if it was something I could pursue long-term, seeing that my past aspiration kept hitting walls. I was surprised when the owner, Anthony O’Donnell, promptly responded, offering me an internship. After a few emails, phone calls, and one flight from New Orleans to Boston, it was time to begin my summer experience in a position that brought my college friends to widen their eyes and ask me with discomfort: “Really? Funerals?”
When I arrived, I was led through the Danver’s location by Diane Gallagher, who greeted me warmly. I immediately took note of how quiet it was--how peaceful. The interior was wide and bright, decorated finely with gilded accents. I’ve only attended two funerals in my life, and both felt dark and stiff.Yet, entering O’Donnell, there was not an ounce of that heavy dreariness that is usually so synonymous with death. I was surprised by the harmony of the openness, immediately welcoming me inside. After being introduced to the rest of the team, I met Anthony in person, where in he asked me some questions as to why I wanted this position and what I expected from it. I was subtly struck by the cheeriness of him and the rest of the O’Donnell staff, as well as the fact that they, too, seemed to light up the buildings with their personalities.
I only truly began to understand what this summer internship–and profession as a whole–would entail when Anthony asked me what I would do if I received a call from someone informing me that their loved one had passed away. Since I’d only been working in funeral services for around four hours until then, I was unsure of the protocol. So, I guessed. “I’d first say that I’m sorry for their loss,” I’d told him. In response, he informed me that I was correct, and went on to tell me this: “Yes, just be kind. It’s very easy to be kind.” It was then that I had the feeling that this may be what I’ve been searching for in my journey as a twenty-year-old woman looking for a passion.
Though I’ve only just begun, I’ve observed the O’Donnell staff and come to understand that this is not a business of death, it is a business of kindness. It is a kindness fueled by the work put into preserving the memory of people loved and lost. I look forward to documenting this journey and sharing what I’ve learned in the future. Until next time!
