An HBO docuseries, “The Mortician,” which was released last month, has brought a decades-old scandal back into the spotlight, and with it, renewed questions about trust in funeral service. The series chronicles the crimes of David Sconce, a crematory operator in California who, in the 1980s, committed egregious violations of human dignity, ethics and law.

NFDA prepared comments in response to the documentary, which you can read here. In it, we reaffirm what families deserve to know: that today’s funeral professionals uphold the highest standards of care and conduct and are deeply committed to the communities they serve.

As outlined in a recent Memorial Business Journal article titled “Not Our Story, But Still Our Problem,” the series is a sobering reminder that, while one individual’s horrific actions do not define our profession, they can shape public perception, especially when amplified by mass media.

“Though the public might judge funeral service by its worst headlines,” the article notes, “funeral directors have the power to build trust and shape the narrative every day.”

The story of David Sconce is not the story of funeral service today. But NFDA recognizes that documentaries like “The Mortician” can cast a long shadow. That’s why we encourage every funeral professional to take steps, both large and small, to strengthen their reputation, promote transparency and engage their community. Read the advice shared in the Memorial Business Journal article here. 

We can’t change the past, and we can’t prevent every negative story from surfacing. But we can control what people see, hear and feel when they interact with a funeral professional today.

The truth is, every day, NFDA members prove what this profession is truly about: compassion, dignity, service and care. It’s our job, and our opportunity, to make sure that’s the story the public hears.

Let’s lead with integrity, and let our daily actions be our best response.