Glendale funeral home helps bring closure to family by holding drive-thru service for loved one

GLENDALE, Calif. (KABC) -- As the novel coronavirus pandemic forces funeral homes to face unexpected challenges, one funeral home in Glendale is finding ways to give families closure, while staying physically distant.

The Glendale Funeral Home performed its first drive-thru ceremony to honor the life of Jose Noche Banog II.

The ceremony was broadcasted on Facebook Live for Banog's friends and family. Forty vehicles, one after the other, slowly drove up. The people inside stopped to speak to the family seated on the side, then viewed the casket hidden from public view.

Coronavirus: Funeral via Zoom gives SoCal family closure amid pandemic, social-gathering restrictions

Families across California have found themselves unable to lay their loved ones to rest with traditional funeral services because of social gathering restrictions prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's not the perfect conditions, however, under these circumstances it certainly helped them through the grieving process," said Edward Brail, manager of the Glendale Funeral Home.

Traditional funerals with dozens of family and friends seated side by side has become impossible to hold with strict public health guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brail said losing a loved one is painful enough, but even worse now given the circumstances.

"I've been in the funeral industry 25 years, never thought drive-thru funeral would come out of my mouth," said Brail.

Following the drive-thru funeral, friends and family were invited to a virtual graveside service, a last chance to say goodbye to their loved one.