THE “WHY” OF MPG

Pamela Bussoli has a unique profession – at least to some of us. She is a funeral director at The Simple Alternative Funeral Centre in Mississauga, a part of the Mount Pleasant Group (MPG), and the “why” of her vocation runs deep indeed.

She chose to do her work co-op at a funeral home partly because two of her fellow students had been killed in traffic accidents. These incidents made her wonder, what happens next?

For her, such curiosity is not morbid. It’s natural.

“Why does death have to be something so bad, so mysterious? It’s a part of life,” says Bussoli.

She knows from personal experience, having lost her 19-year-old brother in a work accident as she was preparing to enroll in post-secondary education.

That incident focussed her drive to learn more about death care. If one can say there’s a plus side to such a tragedy, it’s that she can bestow sincere empathy on her customers.

“I don’t share his story with every person I meet, but when someone’s experience is particularly unbearable, I can say I understand where you are coming from and let them know I’m here for them,” she says. “In helping them, I also help myself.”

The staff at Mount Pleasant Group’s various properties all have stories to tell about what drew them to their profession. As Bussoli notes, it’s a profession that makes some people uncomfortable.

“And I get it. Not everyone wants to walk into a funeral home.”

She says that when a family says thank you, it’s a feeling like no other.

“I’ve never had a day that hasn’t been interesting in my career. You meet a family, learn about them, maybe about a new culture. I love my job so much, it’s something different every day.”