The Obituary of the Future Starts While We’re Still Here

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with Gary Kisela, founder of Murial, to explore how storytelling, especially before death, can transform legacy, connection, and grief.

Together, they discuss how Murial is helping families create collaborative, living legacies through stories, photos, and memories shared before a person passes. From life review to digital obituaries, this conversation invites listeners to consider what it means to honor someone while they’re still here to feel it.

Key takeaways include:

• Why the traditional obituary may no longer be enough
• How legacy storytelling can begin before death
• The emotional impact of reading your own life stories while still alive
• What digital tools like Murial offer for end-of-life doulas, families, and care teams
• How community storytelling can support grief, connection, and healing

This episode gently challenges the idea that we should wait until someone is gone to reflect on their life. It’s a conversation for anyone navigating aging, illness, or simply seeking more intentional ways to preserve meaning and memory.

Murial actively gives demonstrations for EOL communities (INELDA, New Mexico Deathcare Network, and others) and runs pilot projects with hospices and their patients. All are by invitation and done at no cost. If that’s something of interest to you, email Gary for a chat at [e-mail].

Links/Resources

• Guest: Gary Kisela, Founder of Murial – https://murial.life
• Host: Traci Arieli’s Website – https://www.comfortingclosure.com

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