The Death Escort

Someone recently referred to me as a Death Escort, and I will admit, I nearly spit out my coffee laughing. The title caught me off guard, and like most people, my mind wandered somewhere very different than bedside vigils and grief support. But the truth is, that’s exactly what I am. I escort people through one of the most profound, tender, and yes, sometimes awkward parts of life: death.

As a hospice nurse, I usually meet people at the time of diagnosis and walk alongside them all the way to the end. As an end-of-life doula, however, I can enter the journey at any stage, whether there is a diagnosis or not. Sometimes it is simply someone curious about their own mortality, or wanting to explore what death might mean long before it ever draws near. Sometimes it is a family member preparing for what lies ahead, or someone just needing a space to ask all the “taboo” questions without hushed tones. Think of it as death prep school, with fewer textbooks and a lot more humanity and compassion.

My intention is to gently light the path before you, easing fear, softening uncertainty, and offering a different lens through which to see this part of life. One that feels less frightening, and perhaps even more peaceful, in the midst of a tender and difficult time.

Calling myself an escort may sound a little… risqué, but really, it fits. I walk alongside people, so they don’t feel alone. I hand them tools and “assignments” (don’t worry, no grading involved), like writing down what’s most important to them, shaping the story they will leave behind, or even planning the legacy they want others to carry. It’s not about doom and gloom, it’s about helping people see that even in the end, they have a voice, and that their life mattered.

So yes, I am The Death Escort. I help people prepare, I witness their stories, and I make sure their wishes are honored. And if the title makes you giggle before it makes you think, good. Death doesn’t always have to be heavy. Sometimes an opportunity to laugh is exactly what carries us through.

xo

Gabby