This is completely unbelievable! How can someone in the business of military funerals show so much disrespect to a member of the military, on the way to his funeral?
The family of Lt. Col. Jesse Coleman said that they didn’t want the funeral director and hearse driver to lose their jobs, but personally, I’m very happy to see that the funeral director and hearse driver were fired after this lack of respect and gross display.
If I would have been there, I thing there would have been a funeral director and hearse driver with black eyes, because I would have beat the crap out of these worthless losers!
Unbelievable Disrespect: Hearse Stops At Dunkin’ Donuts With Flag-Draped Coffin Inside On Way To Veterans’ Funeral
A funeral director and hearse driver were on their way to a military veteran’s funeral in Lecanto, Florida, when they decided to make a pit stop at a New Port Richey Dunkin’ Donuts, leaving 84-year-old Lt. Col. Jesse Coleman’s body unattended in a flag-draped coffin inside the vehicle.
Rob Carpenter, a bystander, told ABC News that he couldn’t believe the coffin would be left alone while the men responsible for it took an unscheduled coffee break. When he confronted the driver, Carpenter said he didn’t appear to be remorseful — so he took videos and photos as evidence and sent them to the Veterans Warriors Facebook group.
It wasn’t long before the images went viral.
Lauren Price, one of the activists behind the Veteran Warriors Facebook group, said she felt “physically ill” and “upset” when she saw the viral photo of the casket.
“I’ve been on funerals where we had to travel four hours to do a funeral; in full uniform; in the dead summer in Florida,” she said. “We didn’t stop to get coffee, we didn’t stop for bathroom breaks — you just don’t do that.”
Coleman’s funeral service was reportedly less than 90 miles away from Veterans Funeral Care in Clearwater, Florida.
Veterans Funeral Care President Jim Rudolph called the employees’ actions a “terrible lack of judgment” and showed a “total lack of respect.” That’s why he felt he had no choice but to fire both of the individuals responsible — and his decision is final.
“When a car leaves the funeral home with a flag on it, it’s on a stage … and we’re in ceremony mode,” he told ABC News. He added, “That’s absolutely terrible.”
Though he admitted his drivers sometimes stop for bathroom breaks, someone must stay with the vehicle at all times. However, hearses are asked not to make any stops during a military transport out of respect.
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