An animated story about loss in a year of Zoom funerals
Last February, Nancy Chouinard took her father out to dinner. Two months later the world had changed, and her dad, Norman Ginstling, passed away alone in a hospital.
The funeral was held over Zoom. There was nobody at the grave. “I feel like the grief process has completely been delayed,” Nancy said. “When it ended, you just shut your computer. And that was it. You’re back in your life.”
Norman was born on July 4, 1935, and grew up in New York. He was a private pilot, an accountant and a jazz lover, and kept very involved in the lives of his children and grandchildren. Since his death, over 285,000 more Americans have died of covid-19.
I think that when things go back to normal, I’ll miss him more.
Nancy spoke with us in early October from her home in Maryland, in a conversation for this animated story.
Story and direction by Kolin Pope, additional story editing and music by Ted Muldoon, animation and illustration by Dylan Glynn, with senior production and editing by Suzette Moyer and David Rowell. Thanks to Greg Manifold, Lucio Villa, Sarah Hashemi, Daron Taylor, Ben Fuglevand, and Martine Powers.
