Funerals today are expensive, averaging between $7,000-9,000 for just the basics. So many people cannot afford to pay for one and they’re left wondering what to do.
Ten-year-old Daniel Crase has sadly learned just how costly funerals can be. His best friend and uncle, Brian, suffered a heart attack that ultimately claimed his life. Daniel was crushed, his grandmother Brenda Crase said, but he was even more devastated when he realized that his family just didn’t have the money to provide Brian with a proper burial.
“They were basketball players, they were game players, they were everything.”
The two were inseparable despite the big age difference. Brenda has raised Daniel since he was a newborn and the two guys shared a unique bond, one that Daniel craved. He looked up to his Uncle Brian and his world had been truly shaken by his mentor’s death.
“My Uncle Brian was my bestest buddy.”
When Daniel learned that there wasn’t any money with which to bury his uncle, he knew he had to act.
“He said ‘nana I want to raise money for my uncle Brian’ and I said ‘baby I don’t know how to do that’ and he said ‘I do.'”
Daniel sorted through his meager belongings and gathered up his toys to hock at a garage sale held at their home. He planned to use the proceeds generated by selling his toys to pay for his uncle’s funeral expenses. Except there wasn’t much interest in their garage sale.
“He set out a yard sale in our yard, it didn’t work, so he said ‘take me to the Quick Way because I’m going to raise money for my uncle Brian because that’s what I need to do nana.'”
So they switched locations to the bustling Quick Way gas station where more people learned about Daniel’s plight and pitched in to help out the little boy with the big heart.
He braved the sweltering heat to sell his precious toys just so his uncle could have a proper burial, one that Daniel approved of.
The community has rallied around the Arkansas boy and his heartfelt mission and contributed slightly less than $1,000. But Daniel’s goal is to raise $5,000 in his uncle’s name. When discussing what Daniel’s doing, his generosity and compassion, Grandma Brenda couldn’t hold back the tears.
“It made my heart feel good because I know that I raised my baby the right way.”
Daniel also is accepting donations from strangers who have heard his story and recognized how much achieving this goal means to the boy. Donations can be made at any First Star Bank location using account number 40122442 or mailed to Daniel Crase Funeral Fund, 6218 Hickory Lane, Fort Smith, AR 72916
Funerals can be a beautiful way to help say goodbye to a loved one and that’s exactly what Daniel is wanting for his Uncle Brian. This young boy’s determination and empathy aren’t usually seen in 10-year-olds.
Hopefully, he is able to achieve his financial goal and give his Uncle Brian the sendoff he envisions.
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