People worried about their mortality can leave messages for their loved ones with the launch of a creative, but rather morbid, new website.
OnceIveGone.com lets members pre-record videos for their nearest and dearest to help them through the bereavement process in the event of their death, and more than 2,000 people have already signed up.
It also offers a range of free after-life services – from planning your own funeral arrangements to writing bucket lists – in order to help family and friends cope after you have passed away.
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And it’s not just the elderly or terminally ill using the site. One member, Steve Kitt, recorded a video for his five-year-old daughter earlier this month. In the touching one-and-a-half-minute clip, he says: ‘Hey Dominque, it’s your dad – hopefully a long time into the future from now.’
Messages and videos are stored in a secure online ‘vault’, which can be accessed by family and friends via a secret password after you’ve died.
But it isn’t just the elderly and the terminally ill who are using the service – a growing number of Brits in their forties and fifties are making arrangements with the site, in the event of their untimely death. And many say that doing so has given them peace of mind.
One member, Steve Kitt, recorded a video for his five-year-old daughter earlier this month. In the touching one-and-a-half-minute clip, he says: ‘Hey Dominque, it’s your dad – hopefully a long time into the future from now. It’s 2015, it’s December, it’s nearly Christmas, and you’re one very excited five-year-old.
‘You’ve just gone off with your mum to the vet, that’s why it’s so quiet here. You’ve taken the little 10-week-old kitten, Tarquin, to get his first jabs. You had to go with him because you’re very caring. You had to carry him.
‘It’s pretty good here at the minute, it’s almost Christmas and there’s lots of presents under the tree. You keep trying to get me to guess them because you want to know what they are. But the only thing is, I have not got a clue because your mum won’t tell me either…I think she knows I’d tell you!
‘I want you to know you’re a very caring little girl which, for a five-year-old, is unbelievable – how much you care about things, animals and people alike. The amount you care is crazy for somebody your age, I hope you carry on with that.
‘You’re very loving also, and you have an amazing sense of humour. Don’t you ever lose that – it’s very important in life, I think you get that from me!
‘You may even have your own kids by now, which makes me a granddad. So I thought I’d just leave you something – there may be loads more messages in the future, but I just wanted to leave you this for now. Hopefully I’ll get better at it also. Love you lots.’
A 48-year-old man from Devon, who wished to remain anonymous, has used the site to record a video message for his children.
He said: ‘My dad very sadly passed away recently and left us with lots of questions regarding what his final wishes would have been.
‘I have since uploaded my will and last wishes, and left a personal message for my wife and children to read when I have passed over, which I hope will bring them comfort during hard times. I want everyone to be clear about my love for them and how I wish my possessions and property to be handled in the event of my death.’
Jackie Haining, a retired jeweller from Bristol, joined the site earlier this year. The 52-year-old decided to record a video for her children and grandchildren for when she passes away.
‘I told them to spend as much time together as possible and to always appreciate each other,’ she told FEMAIL.
‘I’ve also told them exactly what music I want played at my funeral – Eva Cassidy and Adele – with lots of flowers. Now I know that when I die my funeral arrangements will be as painless as possible for those left behind.’
New website allows users to record videos for loved ones to watch after they’ve DIED (and 2,000 people have already signed up)
People worried about their mortality can leave messages for their loved ones with the launch of a creative, but rather morbid, new website.
OnceIveGone.com lets members pre-record videos for their nearest and dearest to help them through the bereavement process in the event of their death, and more than 2,000 people have already signed up.
It also offers a range of free after-life services – from planning your own funeral arrangements to writing bucket lists – in order to help family and friends cope after you have passed away.
Scroll down for video
And it's not just the elderly or terminally ill using the site. One member, Steve Kitt, recorded a video for his five-year-old daughter earlier this month. In the touching one-and-a-half-minute clip, he says: ‘Hey Dominque, it’s your dad – hopefully a long time into the future from now.'
Messages and videos are stored in a secure online 'vault', which can be accessed by family and friends via a secret password after you've died.
But it isn’t just the elderly and the terminally ill who are using the service – a growing number of Brits in their forties and fifties are making arrangements with the site, in the event of their untimely death. And many say that doing so has given them peace of mind.
One member, Steve Kitt, recorded a video for his five-year-old daughter earlier this month. In the touching one-and-a-half-minute clip, he says: ‘Hey Dominque, it’s your dad – hopefully a long time into the future from now. It’s 2015, it’s December, it’s nearly Christmas, and you’re one very excited five-year-old.
‘You’ve just gone off with your mum to the vet, that’s why it’s so quiet here. You’ve taken the little 10-week-old kitten, Tarquin, to get his first jabs. You had to go with him because you’re very caring. You had to carry him.
‘It’s pretty good here at the minute, it’s almost Christmas and there’s lots of presents under the tree. You keep trying to get me to guess them because you want to know what they are. But the only thing is, I have not got a clue because your mum won’t tell me either…I think she knows I’d tell you!
‘I want you to know you’re a very caring little girl which, for a five-year-old, is unbelievable – how much you care about things, animals and people alike. The amount you care is crazy for somebody your age, I hope you carry on with that.
'You’re very loving also, and you have an amazing sense of humour. Don’t you ever lose that – it’s very important in life, I think you get that from me!
‘You may even have your own kids by now, which makes me a granddad. So I thought I’d just leave you something – there may be loads more messages in the future, but I just wanted to leave you this for now. Hopefully I’ll get better at it also. Love you lots.’
A 48-year-old man from Devon, who wished to remain anonymous, has used the site to record a video message for his children.
He said: ‘My dad very sadly passed away recently and left us with lots of questions regarding what his final wishes would have been.
‘I have since uploaded my will and last wishes, and left a personal message for my wife and children to read when I have passed over, which I hope will bring them comfort during hard times. I want everyone to be clear about my love for them and how I wish my possessions and property to be handled in the event of my death.’
Jackie Haining, a retired jeweller from Bristol, joined the site earlier this year. The 52-year-old decided to record a video for her children and grandchildren for when she passes away.
‘I told them to spend as much time together as possible and to always appreciate each other,’ she told FEMAIL.
‘I’ve also told them exactly what music I want played at my funeral – Eva Cassidy and Adele – with lots of flowers. Now I know that when I die my funeral arrangements will be as painless as possible for those left behind.’
