Georgia Woman, 80, Hosts Her Own Funeral While Alive

An 80-year-old Georgia woman, Shelvy Neal, recently held her own funeral service, an event she described as a "FOMO funeral" — meaning fear of missing out. The service, which celebrated her life and marked her 80th birthday, took place in Macon, Georgia, and was attended by approximately 100 guests.

Neal was inspired to organize the event after her husband's funeral in March. She recounted telling her daughter that she wished she could attend her own funeral. Her daughter's response, "Well, why can't you?" prompted Neal to begin planning the celebration.

The "FOMO funeral" was held on a property in Macon that Neal and her late husband had owned for about 25 years before selling it to a funeral home in 2020. The sale included a stipulation for two funerals to be held there, one for each of them.

During the service, a cardboard cutout of Neal lay in a coffin, while the living 80-year-old wore a sash that read, "Back by popular demand." Guests were invited to share fond memories, and Neal stated she was prepared for any remarks, even joking that she might "cut the mic" if anything negative was said.

A cake at the event featured a stairway design leading to gates of heaven, with the inscription, "She refuses to miss anything…especially her own funeral." Another message on the cake read, "FOMO: The funeral she refuses to miss."

Neal also took an active role in the funeral's arrangements, making the flowers herself and serving as the guest speaker. She expressed a desire to make the experience as enjoyable as possible, telling WMAZ, "I think it will be easier on my family to do something like this, but also, you know, funeral is F-U-N. And I like fun."

Despite this elaborate celebration, Neal indicated that when she eventually passes away, her family will hold a simple graveside service.