LOUISVILLE, Ky. — When people in the city of Louisville experiencing homelessness die, a group at Catholic Charities of Louisville adds their name to their Indigent Burial list.
Since 2006, the Jefferson County Coroner's Office has coordinated with schools in the area to provide funeral services for people experiencing homelessness, or people who cannot afford a funeral. This past summer, Catholic Charities took over the program.
Meadow View Cemetery is a city-owned indigent burial plot, located off Dixie Highway in Valley Station. Several burials happen every Thursday, and this past week's ceremony ended with the burial of Richard Mylor.
"He's an Aries, like me," said Shantall Davis, his caregiver. "Kinda bullheaded. Kinda smart mouth." Davis says she called Mylor 'Big Daddy' and he, in turn, dubbed her 'Big Peaches.'
"I can say, at one point I would love Richard," said his aunt, Carla Kay Mylor. She is Mylor's next of kin. "Another point, I would wanna kick his bottom."
Veteran Richard Mylor died on Sept. 18. After waiting a few weeks for a slot to open and plans to be finalized, he's the latest person buried at Meadow View Cemetery.
"When he started going to the hospital and stuff and I started seeing him, nobody was there but me," said Davis. "That's why I'm hurt. That's why I'm feeling bad."
Unable to pay for his funeral, both women found themselves surrounded by veteran's groups and high school students at Richard's final resting place.
"They did what they did and I appreciate that, just like I appreciate these guys as well," said Davis, referencing both the high school group and the veterans.
When Catholic Charities took over the burial program, the group expanded from just St. Xavier students to students from several Catholic high schools. They ensure no one is buried alone and there is a service regardless of financial means.
Matt Whisman took over the program just a few months ago.
"We've been pretty busy because of COVID and the heroin epidemic," Whisman said. "Louisville prides itself on a compassionate city. We want to make sure the community is what we're focused on at the cemetery."
At the final ceremony of the day, St. X juniors served as pallbearers and lead prayers, leaving school to be part of these services.
"No one wants to be alone when they die," said Nick Archer, one of the St. X juniors involved in the ceremony. "You kind of do it for that person, and their afterlife."
It's a humbling experience for the students. Through a class at St. X, they choose to volunteer their time to return dignity to people who sometimes die with little remaining.
"You're kind of like, guiding someone who was alone in their life," Archer said. "You're guiding them to their afterlife with somebody."
Within the next year, Meadow View will run out of room. The city is in the process of finding a new indigent cemetery.
Contact reporter Hayley Minogue at hminogue@whas11.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
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