LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Families often go through a lot of stress when it comes to planning a funeral, and that stress can be compounded if the deceased was a victim of violence.
A local funeral home is trying to take that stress away.
At a time when the average funeral costs nearly $4,000, Spring Valley Funeral Home Director Anthony Oxendine is helping out families who have lost loved ones to violence by helping cover the costs of ceremonies.
"If I have extra funds available – I will help them," Oxendine said.
Spring Valley Funeral Home Director Anthony Oxendine is helping out families who have lost loved ones to violence by helping cover the costs of ceremonies.
Oxendine performs 700 funerals a year at Spring Valley, located at 719 E Chestnut St., and said many of the ceremonies are sudden because of violence.
In the case of Jose Munoz, who was shot and killed while eating at an Olive Garden on the Outer Loop in February, Oxendine volunteered to help a grieving family overcome a big obstacle.
"We spent two weeks trying to get my brother-in-law’s remains sent back to Mexico," said Donna Munoz, Jose Munoz's sister-in-law.
Donna Munoz's family gathered enough money for a funeral but could not find a flight to Mexico that worked with their time frame. That's when Oxendine stepped in.
"We took upon ourselves to drive their loved one to the Mexico border," Oxendine said.
"Under the circumstances, we didn’t even have to ask," Donna Munoz added. "Anthony just offered."
Donna Munoz's family gathered enough money for a funeral but could not find a flight to Mexico that worked with their time frame.
It is an all-too-familiar situation Spring Valley Funeral Home sees almost on a daily basis: lower-income families struggling to bury a loved facing questions that can become consuming.
"How am I going to pay for this? How am I going to get him home? You are talking about thousands of dollars in a matter of a couple days to decide what we are going to do," Munoz said.
For Oxendine, why he does it is simple.
"I couldn’t imagine having to bury my children," he said. "I couldn’t imagine having to close that casket on my own children so I can’t imagine what these families are going through."
Jose Munoz’s accused killer, Devone Briggs, is schedule to begin trial in February 2020.
Jose Munoz was shot and killed while eating at an Olive Garden on the Outer Loop in February.
Related stories:
- Family of man shot to death at Louisville Olive Garden says he was victim of hate crime
- Witness of shooting at Outer Loop Olive Garden describes 'chaos' inside restaurant
- Police arrest suspect in fatal Louisville Olive Garden shooting
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