When Sandie Wood passed away, her friends and family reacted with grief and sorrow. Funerals are never fun. Wood had lost a long battle with cancer. So while loss is never easy, she decided to go out in a way that would bring some levity.
Six months before her death, Wood hired a flash mob to “crash” her funeral on the big day.
It wasn’t the easiest operation, either. Wood went through ten different flash mob organizations before one finally agreed. Those who said no said it felt ‘inappropriate.’ Finally Wood found Claire Phipps of The Flaming Feathers through her friend Sam Ryalls. And while Phipps agreed it was a bizarre ask, she and her ten-person team were willing. “Her best friend, Sam, booked us but this was about six months before she passed, so Sandie basically planned her own funeral. It was definitely not your normal gig,” Phipps said.
The plan was to behave as just other funeral guests and wait for their cue. Phipps and her troupe sprung into action as Queen’s “Another One Bites The Dust” began to play over loudspeakers. It certainly brought some fun to an otherwise somber situation. And that, according to friends and family, was exactly how Wood was in life.
It wasn’t the only part of Wood’s funeral that was on-brand. Not only was the casket late, humorously alluding to Wood never being on time for anything, but the casket itself was adorned with sparkly high heels bedazzled with the words “going out in style.” For as much as she’ll be missed, Wood certainly was sent off with many smiles instead of tears.
And really, Flash Mob Funeral is a great name for a band.
