We all have different ways of remembering our loved ones who have passed. Many families have traditions to honor their memory, and those traditions should be respected.
Sadly, that’s not always the case. Just ask the family of the late Mark Rosenthal. Mark passed away 13 years ago, and his family still visits his grave to celebrate his life.
For them, the loss will always be painful, but spending time at his gravesite helps them feel close to him. However, when they shared their way of remembering Mark online, not everyone reacted kindly.
Robin Rosenthal lost her husband Mark in 2010. She raised their two children, Sam and Emma, alone in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
She made sure to keep Mark’s memory alive, and her children were just as eager to do the same. That’s why they began sharing videos of their visits to his grave.
One video, filmed in June 2022, showed them enjoying a Father’s Day lunch by his gravesite.
Emma and Robin ate sandwiches while Sam recorded. “Father’s Day lunch with Dad!” Sam said before asking his mother where Mark was.
“Down there, in the ground,” Robin replied.
Robin then tossed a fry toward Mark’s grave, playfully offering him some of their food.
The family saw this as a lighthearted way to include Mark in their traditions. But online, not everyone felt the same.
“This is creepy,” one person wrote.
“I don’t know what to say… this feels disrespectful,” another commented.
“This is just weird,” a third person added.
A fourth said, “They have food all over their faces, and the dancing while sitting just makes this uncomfortable.”
Despite the mixed reactions, the Rosenthals continued their tradition. They posted another Father’s Day video this year for their 600,000 TikTok followers.
Some supported their way of remembering Mark, while others still criticized them.
If you found this story interesting, check out what happened to actress Sandra Bullock after her partner’s passing.