BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — When a Boynton Beach man received a series of funeral home bills after his father’s death, he found a transportation fee that he felt he shouldn’t have to pay.
So he called WPTV Contact 5 for help.
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Eric Vigod said he’d never be looking at a $300 transportation charge if somebody had simply asked him where to take his dad’s remains after his father’s death.
"He was the first in his family to go to college," Vigod said.
Vigod admires his father, Myron. After a career as an architect in New Jersey, Myron retired to Boynton Beach.
"He was happiest traveling, being with his family," Vigod said.
Myron had just been admitted to a nearby nursing home, when Vigod said a hospice nurse called on Sept. 12, telling him his father had passed away.
Vigod said a nursing home worker called the next day about noon.
"Then I inquired as to my father’s, the whereabouts of his remains. And it turns out, they were sent to All County Funeral Home without our knowledge or permission," Vigod said.
All County Funeral Home is where many adult care facilities in Palm Beach County send remains when family members have not designated a place.
Vigod said he was never asked where to send his father’s body.
"I contacted All County Funeral Home and requested that his remains be sent to Beth Israel Memorial Chapel, because we are Jewish and we’d like to have Jewish arrangements," Vigod said.
After Myron’s remains were sent to Beth Israel in Boynton Beach, Vigod got a bill learning the 13-mile trip between funeral homes cost $300.
"It was very upsetting," Vigod said. "It's really not about the money. For us, it’s incidental. But there are families for whom it’s not incidental."
WPTV Contact 5 reached out to Trustbridge, which provided hospice care to Myron in his final days.
Lauryn Barry, the senior director of marketing for Trustbridge, sent WPTV the following statement:
"Our condolences go out to Mr. Vigod and his family on the passing of his father. In this particular case, there no was funeral home designated prior to Mr. Vigod’s father’s passing. We attempted to notify the family of the patient’s passing but were unable to make contact prior to having to transfer the remains.
Trustbridge was unaware that Mr. Vigod received an invoice from the Beth Israel Memorial Chapel for the transfer but will certainly reimburse the grieving family for these services. If they have not yet paid the invoice, we will contact Beth Israel and make payment arrangements immediately."
WPTV Contact 5 Investigator Dave Bohman checked a few web pages of both attorneys and funeral home directors. They recommend relatives choose a place to send a loved one's remains when a person is admitted to a nursing home, and not after learning of a loved one's death.
