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How To Send Email When You're Dead

Posted by timothy on from the use-your-dead-hand dept.

The Narrative Fallacy writes "'The Last Messages Club' is a new service that sends personal emails written prior to one's death to loved ones in the future. The messages can range from a final love letter, guidance for someone left behind, a list of instructions, details on life insurance and other financial information. 'No one likes to think about their impending "demise," but it is much better to be fully-prepared, so that there is less stress on your loved ones after you pass away,' says founder Geoff Reiss. The system works by giving each member a secure and private vault where they are able to create messages to be sent specifically to their chosen recipient. A secure process ensures that messages are only sent after at least two people appointed by the user have confirmed that you have died and other safety criteria are met. 'I thought at first that maybe it was a bit ghoulish but on consideration I think it's a great idea as it would be nice for loved ones to receive messages from me when I'm no longer here,' says a technical adviser to the company. 'It's strange really as it makes you confront your own mortality in a sense.'"

6 of 165 comments (clear)

  1. Creepy... by Annwvyn · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Though I suppose it is no more creepier than a will. Does said death-mail have legal standing?

    1. Re:Creepy... by capt.Hij · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Though I suppose it is no more creepier than a will. Does said death-mail have legal standing?

      My grandmother recently passed away. She had made a number of arrangements including her burial, the religious services, final wishes, and what not. It was a huge help and comfort for us. We had a set of guides to help us make decisions that we think that she would have preferred. Such decisions are difficult under normal circumstances but even more difficult right after she died. My father on the other hand made almost no provisions, and it was all the more difficult to get through the situation.

      I no longer see this as creepy but as a healthy and respectful way to treat your loved ones and to help them prepare for what they will have to face.

  2. Re:Re-inventing the wheel by Felix+Da+Rat · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You are of course correct,

    However, if there was an option for sending letters out at specific times after your demise, that might offer some additional value. Being able to send your kids a message on their significant birthdays, for their (first) marriage, the birth of your first grandchild, etc. Things like that might add some value, of course such letters could sit in the same folder your propose, and wouldn't have to worry about technologies changing, new addresses, or the spam filter, but would be less automated.

    Maybe the value is in sending out 'So I'm dead, you win. But I still think your a bastard' messages to folks you don't like.

  3. Reach out to more people by PleaseFearMe · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The emails can be sent to many many people, even those who probably would not read the will. Like maybe telling an old boss something, etc.

  4. Draft by eyeverve · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Just write your emails to be sent after you die and leave them in your drafts box. Leave your email access information in your will and have someone you trust hit send for all of them. That would accomplish the same thing and wouldn't cost a dime.

  5. I am dying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Thoughts of mortality have been on my mind recently. Two weeks ago I was diagnosed with ALS, a progressive, fatal, incurable disease. Average survival times are 2-5 years; 90% survive fewer than 10 years.

    Knowing my time frame is not as bad as it sounds. It does let me plan ahead a little. But I wonder whether this service would be a boon to my survivors. If I have something to say, I know I should say it now (partly because I will likely lose the power of speech within a year or two).

    I am thinking it might be good to make a bunch of individual recordings, for everyone close to me, to be delivered after I am gone. It would be especially nice for them as they can see me and remember me as I am now, vigorous and healthy, rather than as I will have been for the last few months or years of my life, basically like Stephen Hawking.