I put myself in someone else’s shoes recently, and did my best to walk on their path.

Carolyn is the mother of three teenaged boys, one of whom died just this past May, very unexpectedly, after being hit in the head with a softball during a league game.

When I met with her the first time after his death, you can imagine what I saw. After all, as a funeral practitioner, you’ve seen the look before, a thousand times. Red-rimmed eyes, framed with dark circles, and she walked as if she was a hundred years older than her actual age.

Her son’s social memorial website became a refuge for her – for the whole community really.

Here’s what she, and many other grieving families, tell me they loved most about their loved ones’ social memorial websites:

1. The community can share memories through photos and videos

Anyone who visits the website can sit down any time of the day (or night) and add photos to the gallery. This not only gives them a chance to think of all the good times they shared, it eases their aching hearts.

2. They feel connected to their network of supporters

The family can see who leaves messages of condolence, shared memories, or light a candle in their loved one’s honor. In Carolyn’s case, many of her son’s classmates left virtual gifts of love: teddy bears, hugs, or rays of sunshine were very popular.

3. Family & friends can show support from miles away

The funeral webcast and the tribute video can be uploaded to the site (and viewed as often as they wish). Not only that, friends and family who live too far away to attend the funeral service, can easily view these archived video presentations.

4. Social memorial websites are integrated with Facebook and Twitter

Friends and family “tagged” in photos will receive notifications – leading them to the website to see the photo, and leave a comment. Not only that, the “email share” feature lets family members easily connect with others who aren’t on these two social networks.

5. Families can stay close to their roots

Carolyn wasn’t the only person to tell me how much she enjoyed building their family’s tree on her son’s memorial website. “No one wants to lose their roots,” she said to me one day. I can understand how important roots were to someone who was caught in the stormy winds of grieving.

Social Memorial Websites Have Been Proven to Make Us Happier

Both Harvard Medical School and the University of California concluded that happiness spreads through social networks like an emotional contagion. And a Blue Shield study showed that “social connectedness” improves overall health and well-being.

It’s no wonder why Carolyn, and others who are grieving the loss of a loved one, benefit from a social memorial website.

I’ve seen it time and again – they offer digital refuge for the survivors, where they can create a moving, dynamic memorial for someone dear.

Do you want to help your families create a permanent memorial for their loved ones? Thanks to funeralOne’s f1Connect Website Platform, you can! Click here to learn more.

Do you have a story about the power of social memorial websites for your families? Share it with us!