80-Year-Old Woman Attends Her Own Funeral in Georgia With a Cardboard Cutout of Herself

Macon, Georgia — An 80-year-old Georgia widow who says she “refuses to miss anything” decided there was one event she absolutely did not want to miss: her own funeral. So instead of waiting for the day she would actually be gone, Shelvy Neal organized the unusual memorial service herself.

The event, held Sunday on a property in Macon, combined Neal’s 80th birthday celebration with a playful funeral service attended by around 100 friends, family members and guests.

Neal came up with the idea after her husband died and she helped lay him to rest in March.

Neal Wanted to Be at Her Own Funeral

After her husband’s funeral, Neal told her daughter that she wished she could experience her own funeral while she was still alive.

“I said, ‘You know, I’d love to be at my own funeral,’” Neal recalled.

Her daughter’s response gave Neal an idea.

“Well, why can’t you?” her daughter questioned. That question eventually turned into a full-fledged celebration dubbed the “FOMO funeral,” a reference to the fear of missing out.

For Neal, the event wasn’t intended to be gloomy. Instead, she wanted it to celebrate her life, faith and eight decades of memories.

“It’s gonna be about celebrating Christ and my life, 80 years of my life,” Neal said before the event. “It’s been a good one.”

About 100 Guests Came to Pay Their Respects

The unusual funeral took place on property in Macon that Neal and her late husband owned for roughly 25 years.

The couple sold the property to a funeral home in 2020, but the sale came with an unusual arrangement involving two future funerals—one for each of them.

For Neal’s FOMO funeral, guests were invited to pay their respects to a cardboard cutout of the 80-year-old lying inside a coffin. Meanwhile, Neal was very much alive and participating in the celebration.

She wore a sash that read “Back popular demand,” adding another humorous touch to the unusual gathering. A specially decorated cake featured a staircase leading toward what appeared to be the gates of heaven. It carried the message:

“She refuses to miss anything…especially her own funeral.”

Another message on the cake read:

“FOMO: The funeral she refuses to miss.”

Neal Was Ready for Whatever Guests Had to Say

The celebration also included an open microphone where guests could share memories and stories about Neal. She was prepared for compliments—but also apparently ready for anything else someone might say.

“If they want to, they can say bad things,” Neal said before the funeral. “But I’m gonna be there and I might cut the mic.”

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“I’m gonna control my own funeral,” she joked.

And she wasn’t kidding about taking control. Neal made the flowers herself and served as the guest speaker, ensuring that she was involved in virtually every part of the event.

Rather than simply being the subject of a memorial, she was there to hear the stories, enjoy the gathering and celebrate with the people who mattered to her.

‘Funeral Is F-U-N,’ Neal Says

For Neal, the event was ultimately about celebrating life rather than focusing on death.

“I think it will be easier on my family to do something like this, but also, you know, funeral is F-U-N,” Neal said.

“And I like fun,” she added.

Her approach turned what could have been a somber occasion into a memorable gathering centered on laughter, faith, family and friendship. The celebration also gave Neal something that traditional funerals cannot: the chance to hear people’s memories and reactions while she was still there to enjoy them.

Her Real Funeral Will Be Much Simpler

Despite the elaborate FOMO celebration, Neal already knows what she wants when the time eventually comes. She said her actual funeral will be a simple graveside service rather than a traditional funeral.

For now, however, Neal has already experienced the funeral she didn’t want to miss—and she got to spend the day surrounded by people who came to celebrate her life while she was still able to enjoy every moment.

What do you think of Shelvy Neal’s idea of holding her own funeral while she’s still alive? Would you attend your own celebration if you had the chance? Share your thoughts in the comments.