Woman Scatters Her Brother's Ashes In Crowded Hotel Pool To Honor Him
There is no right or wrong way to remember a loved one, but was this memorial perhaps taken too far?
@cherylmillerx / TikTok After a loved one passes on, we want to do whatever we can to honor their memory and spirit. This might mean scattering their ashes in a place that was meaningful to them, whether it be their favorite beach or the last park they visited before they died.
While it is important to remember your lost loved ones in a way that is especially relevant to you and your family, many people believe that there should be limits after one woman chose to scatter her late brother’s ashes in a public space where hundreds of people were present.
The woman scattered her brother’s ashes in a crowded pool in Ibiza.
The incident that sparked outrage was captured at Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel, an adults-only venue. The video was originally posted by user @cherylmillerx on TikTok and was later shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. The footage depicts a woman overtly sprinkling cremated remains in the water of a packed pool, as people around her appear to be blissfully unaware of her actions.
“Just me sprinkling my brother about Ushuaia,” the woman wrote in the text overlay of the video that has been viewed over 6 million times.
While the venue clearly meant something to the woman and her late brother, most people were disgusted that she would choose to scatter his ashes in a public pool.
“Well, I know what pool I won’t be going in when I go to Ibiza,” one X user commented.
“This should be illegal,” another user wrote.
Others pointed out that not only would the ashes get on the skin of other swimmers, but they would likely be sucked into the pool filters and disposed of by hotel pool maintenance.
However, some people did not seem bothered by the woman's controversial memorial, claiming they wouldn’t mind being scattered at their favorite resort once they go as well.
Many people are asking how exactly the woman managed to smuggle the ashes past security into the crowded venue, and if such a thing is even legal.
It is always best to check with the owners of public venues before you scatter ashes.
People choose to honor their late loved ones in various ways, and in most cases, there is no “right” or “wrong” way. However, when it comes to spreading ashes, there is a legal and illegal way to do so.
In most states in the U.S., scattering the ashes of your loved one is acceptable on private property, and even in public spaces with vast amounts of room, including Central Park in New York. However, most public places, even if they held a great deal of significance to the deceased, will require permission first.
Walt Disney World theme park has become a popular hotspot for ash scattering, with people opting to sprinkle the remains of their loved ones in the flower bed in front of the castle, in the man-made lakes, and even on attractions including the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. This goes against park regulations and usually results in shutdowns for proper sanitation, ruining the fun for everyone.
It is important to be mindful of your surroundings, and consider what may happen in certain places you choose to scatter ashes, and how it may affect others.
A public pool where people are submerging themselves all day every day may not have been the wisest choice for the woman to sprinkle her brother. Instead, she should have consulted with hotel management regarding procedure and policy. Or better yet, she could have explored other, more permanent, memorial methods to honor and remember him — like a memorial bench or plaque at the resort (or even a pool bar in his honor!)
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.