‘I’m distraught’: B.C. family struggles to cremate father who weighed 715 lbs.

A B.C. woman whose father recently died says it’s been a struggle to have him cremated with dignity.

A Kelowna, B.C., woman says she has faced challenges ensuring her father’s cremation is handled with dignity after his death.

Morganne Emery told CTV News she anticipated difficulties because of her father’s weight.

“There’s a lot of logistics with a man that size, so I assumed there would be some issue,” she said.

Robert Emery, 60, died on Feb. 20 and weighed 715 pounds. The father of three and grandfather struggled with his weight his entire life.

His daughter said no local funeral homes could accommodate her father’s cremation. For a time, it seemed the only option was a crematorium in Nanaimo, more than 400 kilometres away.

“At this point, I’m distraught. I don’t know where my dad’s going to end up,” she said.

“I don’t know how this is going to happen because burial was not an option for our family.”

The family has since found a suitable facility in Maple Ridge. Even so, Emery is urging the provincial government to require facilities to accommodate larger bodies.

“My family is not the only family dealing with obesity,” she said. “I don’t care that it has to be my dad, the 715-pound man, to make the change.”

Most crematoriums in B.C. can handle up to 500 pounds. Facilities must follow strict rules and are overseen by Consumer Protection B.C.

A spokesperson for Attorney General Nikki Sharma acknowledged the challenges but wrote that regulations will not change.

“The law does not require facilities to have uniform cremation capacity, and the province is not considering changes at this time,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

“Provincial regulations allow for the lawful transfer and transportation of remains to another licensed facility that can safely perform the cremation, when needed.”