OUT WITH A BANG! Family honors COVID-19 victim’s dying wish by launching ashes into sky

By Douglas Whitbread via SWNS

The family of an English woman who died from Covid-19 sent her off with a bang after fulfilling her wishes and launching her ashes into the sky - in the form of fireworks.

Donna Coleman, 42, had frequently told friends and relatives that she wanted her remains to be scattered through the unusual method if anything happened to her.

When she sadly died following a battle with the deadly coronavirus, her sister Stephanie Coleman, 39, and her family made sure her wish came true.

On Halloween her friends and family gathered for the special firework ceremony.

“From the moment she passed we knew we needed to do the fireworks," said Stephanie.

“We were determined to make it happen even though it wasn't as easy or straightforward as we first thought it would be."

Stephanie said that her older sister would often tell people that she wanted her ashes cast into the sky via a firework display.

She added: “It wasn’t even brought up once, it was something that was mentioned quite frequently.

“She would say, 'I want to be put in a firework if anything happens to me' – all her friends knew. “

College tutor Donna passed away on Jan 6 at the height of the pandemic, when gatherings of six or more were banned, making the memorial impossible to organise at the time.

But after well-wishers lined the streets as her coffin was transported to her funeral, Stephanie felt even more compelled to give her the tribute that she’d always wanted.

“We knew there was no option of doing anything at that time, but at her funeral, hundreds lined the streets," she said.

“After that, we said, ‘There are so many people, not just us, that miss her, so we need to honour her wish and we need to get her friends together.’”

As Covid-19 restrictions lifted in England over the summer, Stephanie and her family researched how they could scatter her ashes in this unique way.

Then they found a local company in Yorkshire that would supply the fireworks and take care of the arrangements in a tasteful manner.

“I’d never heard of it before, but I researched it online, found a venue and decided on the date.

“Then my sister Vickie found the company, and my brother spoke to them and arranged the details. They were so respectful on the day of the display."

“They did a risk assessment, and they set off the fireworks on the night as well – it was all well managed."

Donna’s ashes were blasted into the sky during a five-minute display, which was watched by 150 friends, family and colleagues on October 31.

As the fireworks lit up the night sky, Janet Jackson’s song, ‘Together Again’ played in the background, which had a special meaning for her sister Stephanie.

“I was very, very close to Donna – we were like twins, we worked together, we lived together, we were always together," she said.

"About three days after Donna passed, I got in the car and I was just really upset.

“I turned on the radio and that song came on, and it felt like it was a sign.

“Donna was very spiritual, and this song, it hit with me because the words were just so appropriate: ‘When you're missing someone so much,'" she added.

“I’ve been at parties, and I’ve been sat there quietly thinking about her, and the song comes on.

“It’s wherever I go, when I’m thinking of her, the song comes on – it’s like she’s with me.”

The memorial event, which also included a karaoke and a raffle raised $1,800 for a charity called Donna’s Wish.

The fund provides assistance to 6-year-old Amalee who is the daughter of one of Donna's closest friends who died aged just 37 five years ago.