My dad died abroad whilst on holiday

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else. I know it has sadly but have not personally come across anyone having their parent die whilst they were abroad on holiday.

Even the undertakers we chose said that this was a first for them re the repatriation process (dad’s body was delivered to the undertakers from the airport).

It happened to the family of a friend of ours - her Dad died very unexpectedly while on holiday in Italy (he had a long-standing problem that may have put him at higher risk of sudden death, but it was still a great shock). It made things very difficult in the short term. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Yes my aunty died on holiday in France. It was difficult getting death certificate, etc

My uncle died suddenly abroad, my poor aunt had to sit on the plane next to an empty seat coming home. From memory, it took a little while to repatriate him & get the necessary documents so that the funeral could take place. I'm not sure if there has to be an autopsy or inquest or anything.
I'm sorry you are going through this.

I’ve worked for the church for many years and had a few funerals where sadly the person died abroad and others where the body was being buried overseas. Some funeral directors will be more experienced than others

Yes my ex boyfriend's dad died suddenly on holiday in Spain. His mum's brother went over to help while my ex made arrangements at home. They had his dad flown home and it went smoothly but it was a very difficult, sad situation. My sympathy OP, I hope you find comfort in your memories.

Yes, my dad died abroad, in Rome.

Fortunately the insurance dealt with the logistics, but it was really stressful. I went over to help his wife sort things, I have hated Rome ever since, as unfortunately we came across a number of unsavory characters who were trying to profit from our misery.

My father died while on a cycling holiday in France. My mum was repatriated within days by her insurance company, the holiday rep sorted all that out and I met her at the airport when the crew escorted her out to arrivals. Everyone was very caring but then things went a bit pear shaped. We contacted a funeral director used recently when Grandma died and they leased with the insurance company and with the holiday company to get dad’s body repatriated. It took almost three weeks for that to happen as no one was sure where his body was, it was in a very rural area and he had been taken away by helicopter.

So we were all in limbo just waiting, could not book a funeral or anything. Luckily my parents had some very good friends who took on the job of alerting friends with the news, we only had to tell our family. Eventually we got word that his coffin was arriving and someone was needed to identify the body on arrival at the airport. None of us were able to do that so a friend went instead. However, the coffin was sealed because dad’s body had not been kept in cold storage so identification was not possible!

I arranged for an old school friend to translate the French death certificate but even that was a joke as the cause of death was “ Mort” which even I knew was simply Dead! So a black family joke since then was that we had no idea who we cremated nor what dads cause of death was!

It was way back when mobile phones were not common and we were due to leave on the following day it happened for our summer holiday, three weeks touring France in our caravan with no itinerary or plans, no one would have been able to contact us. Since then I always leave important contact number and flight details with my family when I go away.

To cap it all, my mum had no French money as they did not have a credit card, just travellers cheques which my dad had signed. So the nearest British Embassy had to give her some cash to last until she got the flight home. Again, something which is very unlikely to happen nowadays. And we never did get his very expensive hand made bike back!

I totally emphasise with anyone who goes through this, I was traumatised for weeks, dreaming about dad still being alive and cycling around France having lost his memory! But time does pass and your grief, and possibly anger, will pass as well.

I'm so sorry for your loss OP

My own father died suddenly at the age or 47 whilst we were on holiday. We lived abroad at the time (not UK) and although we were still within that same country, we were in a different state, with different rules and it was a 4hr flight back to where we lived. His company managed to logistics of getting us and his body home. I can't recall all the details because I was an early teen at the time and alot of a blur.

I've lived in the UK years now. Recently, a British friend had been living/working in Spain. He was only 52 and also a sudden death. It took over 2mths for his body to be repatriated to the UK due to coroners, red tape etc.

A friend of DH's wife passed in Dubai, on a stopover from Aus to Europe. She said she was unwell, went to lie down & just didn't wake up. Thankfully the staff at the hotel were fantastic, insurance took care of the details

It's one reason why I've broken my do not get involved rule & helped DM convince 84 year old DF a trip to Alaska (from Australia) isn't a good idea. He's frailer than he thinks & it's a long journey. If something were to happen DM wouldn't cope I've told them I can't / DB won't jump on a plane to the other side of the world to help, so consider that first!

Yes. In the 90s my grandad was on the holiday of a lifetime in America . He had gone with a friend after my grandma died the year previously

he had a massive heart attack and died on Broadway of all places .

For all of us who have lost family members when they are abroad, the shock of their deaths is made so much worse by having to deal with the logistics of repatriating them back home, my experience came close to putting me off travelling!

I am sorry for your loss OP
DH's Great Uncle died on a cruise
If you ARE going to die on holiday its probably the best way to do it. The care both GU and his wife received was amazing, I think most cruise lines have a policy and procedure in place for this as its not uncommon given the demographic

I am very sorry for you and your family on the loss of Dad. It's particularly difficult when it happens abroad and must be a terrible shock.

Apologies if this is somewhat insensitive, and I don't know whether my instructions will ease any of the logistics, but I have said that if I die abroad (I do travel a good bit), that I'm to be cremated where I die and just parcel up the box of ashes and DPD them home! Then have whatever service the family want or none I won't care!

I do realise that there's more to it than that, but repatriation of a body and the logistics of that won't be necessary.

My grandad died while on holiday in Scotland. Not abroad but a long way from home and it made things very difficult. I'm guessing he had to travel insurance. He was cremated in Edinburgh with just his 3 children in attendance and a few weeks later one of them had to go there and collect his ashes, which were buried at his parish church, quite a while after he had died.

My profound thanks for your messages and support. I am so sorry to read what has happened to you all. 💐

A family friend of mine died while visiting another friend of ours who was living and working illegally in a European country before it was EU. She was elderly but fit as a fiddle. Went to bed and never woke up. Was a minefield for my poor friend.

My Dad died on the first day of his & mums holiday in Spain. It was a very long time ago.
I remember very little about the events after tbh. A member of the tour company accompanied my mum back home.
My older brother & sisters sorted out the funeral details and so on.

@wantam what an excellent idea, thank you.

Sorry for the loss of your Dad @AttilaTheMeerkat
💐

My uncle is a funeral director and says they get at least half a dozen a year who die abroad. In fact there are firms who deal primarily with repatriation of deceased.

A relative of ours died in hospital after being transferred from a cruise ship, the cruise company and the insurance company handled everything, his wife was with him when he died, but their 2 adult children flew out to be with their Mum. It did take 2 weeks before he could be repatriated back to the UK.

My grandmother died abroad suddenly. She had very few holidays in her retirement so this felt so especially sad. Repatriation took a while but not a crazy amount - she was on the same plane as my grandad and aunt and uncle who had flown out with the news.

My cousin lived abroad and died unexpectedly in his 50s. He was found in his flat by friends who did not know how to contact his NOK. I have the same surname (unlike his sisters) and was on his FB so got a call from the friend. I passed on their numbers…

Some family members flew out to the country for the funeral. He’s also buried there. Repatriation costs would gave been horrendous and his heart was in that country, so was thought to be the right thing.

@AttilaTheMeerkat further to repatriating cremated remains, this also has to be declared and involves paperwork also. (Was a flight attendant pre-kids and we found an abandoned urn on board as family didn’t want to pay/couldn’t afford the fees involved, or maybe didn’t have the correct paperwork to get through customs at the destination.)

My cousin's wife died while completing the pilgrimage in Mecca. She was buried overseas to meet the customs regarding burial. It was so difficult for her daughter and family. As she died in such a holy place, the family took some comfort from this.