See this article:
Now look at the language used by friends and family members
of Sarah Burke. There is much talk of
bringing her to rest in a place she wanted and deserved to be. I think this is one of the most fascinating
aspects in the livings relationship with the dead. The way her coach describes the process of
bringing her ashes to the Olympics so that she could be a part of them, and how
he says “I know Sarah wanted to get some hits in the pipe so she got
those," demonstrates the connection the living can have with the dead’s
corporeal remains.
I have no problem seeing the heart in this gesture, and I
often consider what I might do with my loved ones remains; where I might take
them. However, when I think about it in
a cold logical way, what’s the point?
The ashes of someone do not represent an experience for him or her. Once
again, we see that the gesture is done for the survivors. This is a way for them to put closure on a
tragic part of their lives. For them to
take Sarah to slopes, and deposit her ashes on a pipe she helped build the
demand for, they can feel like they hounored the wishes she had before her life
was cut short.
