A New Way to Mourn: An Update

<p><em>This week, The Daily is revisiting some of our favorite episodes from this year and checking in on what has happened since the stories first ran.</em></p><p>In our society, the public part of mourning is ritualized by a coming together. What do we do now that the opportunity for collective mourning has been taken away?</p><p>Earlier this year, we heard the story of Wayne Irwin. A retired minister of the United Church of Canada who lost his wife, Flora May, during the coronavirus pandemic.</p><p>He never once considered delaying her memorial, opting to celebrate her life over the internet — a new ritual that, as it turned out, felt more authentic and real.</p><p>Today, we check back in with Wayne to find out how he’s been doing in the months since his wife’s passing.</p><p><br /></p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/catherine-porter" target="_blank"><strong>Catherine Porter,</strong></a><strong> </strong>Toronto bureau chief for The New York Times.</p><p><br /></p><p>For an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/the-daily?module=inline" target="_blank">subscribe to our newsletter</a>. You can read the latest edition <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/column/the-daily-newsletter" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>Background reading:</p><ul><li>The rituals of our lives have been transformed. An expert on gathering shares <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/15/style/self-care/birthday-party-coronavirus-online-zoom.html" target="_blank">advice for birthdays</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/style/self-care/contemporary-baby-shower-guide.html" target="_blank">baby showers</a> in our audio series “Together Apart.”</li></ul><p><br /></p><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank">nytimes.com/thedaily </a></p>