Our Sympathy

Alaska’s state nickname is “The Last Frontier.” Covering nearly 587,000 square miles and possessing nearly forty percent of the coastline in the United States, the state has a wide variety of geographic features including mountains, forests, seas, lakes, rivers, and tundra flats. Many Alaskans take advantage of the state’s geography as part of their lifestyles and engage in adventurous living professionally or as leisure activities and find that the outdoor experiences Alaska offers enrich life and create memories. Unfortunately, Alaska’s environment is harsh, and people die pursuing outdoor activities.

One sad aspect of an outdoor death is that sometimes a body is never recovered. Cold water doesn’t always release the dead, and a deep ravine may hide the victim of a fall. If recovering remains presents too great a risk, rescuers may choose not to endanger additional life. Since viewing the body of a loved one is often an important step in the grieving process, it is sometimes hard for bereaved friends and family members to accept the reality of death when the body of a missing person is never recovered.

Sometimes, the remains of a victim are not suitable for an open casket viewing. The manner of an outdoor death can be extremely violent in nature, causing injury beyond what is appropriate for mourners to view. It is possible for the bereaved to experience the same difficulty in moving past the denial stage of grief since they, like those suffering a loved one who never returns, do not see a body-absolute proof that death has occurred.

In a situation where those who grieve cannot view the body of their loved ones, sometimes they use items to represent the form of their loved one. These substitutions can bring great comfort to mourners.

In choosing items to represent the deceased, Alaskans often make choices that speak to the experiences that make up life in The Last Frontier. Hunting and fishing are common activities for a victim of an outdoor death, so pictures of memorable successes or favorite outdoor clothing are logical choices. Living in the biggest state in the union also means that Alaskans often own boats, snowmobiles, airplanes and other unique modes of transportation, so small pieces of these vehicles sometimes represent a deceased pilot, fisherman, or winter traveler.

Alaska is also the home state of many talented artists and craftspeople, so works of art may stand in for human remains. Beaded angels, stained glass likenesses of scenery, or woven grass baskets are all choices to represent a creative and adventurous personality. Sometimes, a family will commission or purchase a work of art for their home so that their loved one will remain part of their daily lives.

Sometimes, a life in The Last Frontier ends as a symbol.

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