Article

A moving (picture) tribute

A new Miami-based startup offers a high-tech way to remember loved ones.

November 28, 2005 by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Different people deal with loss in different ways. For some, the most respectful way to handle a passing is a somber, quiet ceremony.

Others, though, want to be remembered in livelier fashion, with equal parts laughter and tears. In recent years, video tributes have grown in popularity, often shown on VCRs or homemade DVDs at wakes and memorial parties.

Sergio Aguirre was at one such wake in 2004 when he was struck with an idea: If this video montage is worth seeing now, when all of us are gathered together, why not allow people to continue to see it, and to associate it with the person being remembered?

"The attendee's tears of pain and sorrow changed after the first few slides to tears of joy, as they relived selected moments of the person's life," he said, recalling that memorial service. "I took that concept that only lasted 10 minutes at the funeral home and made it last much longer, where a person is remembered most - at the cemetery."

And so was born Vidstone LLC, a Miami-based startup company that is designing and manufacturing several digital displays integrated with tombstones and mausoleum walls. Aguirre, Vidstone's chief executive officer, said that he is currently in the production phase, and expects to have his first batch of units ready by January. He is also at work on building his network of cemeteries, funeral homes and monument companies to distribute the units, and says interest from families and individuals has been strong.

"Consumers have been moving to a more personalized memorial more so now than before," Aguirre said. "There is not much more that you can do to personalize a memorial than a custom video tribute."

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