New Orleans Coroner Frank Minyard laid to rest 87 unclaimed bodies in ceremonies marking the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
Coroner Minyard was in charge of identifying all dead bodies, over 1,500, in the aftermath of Katrina and did a wonderful job of getting everyone back to their families; everyone except the last 87 whom no one claimed. He also had to identify remains of persons in caskets who had washed out of the cemeteries and tombs, a very gruesome task considering some of the caskets had snakes in them.
I wondered if any other coroner in any other City would have persevered for three years, having lost his offices and lab in floodwaters after Katrina, to find the families, then raise money to give them a proper burial.
Dr. Minyard raised funds for a memorial area in the Charity Hospital Cemetery at the foot of Canal Street where 5 mausoleums were built and the bodies interred today.
On his trumpet he played "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" as a tribute to all who lost their lives in Katrina.