"Mum grew great dope": Son's hilariously honest tribute goes viral
Two brothers from Sydney have made headlines around the world for their hilarious tribute to their late mother.
Sean and Chris Kelly wrote a death notice for their mum Jennifer Ann Kelly when she passed away aged 88 on Monday last week.
“Farewell Jennie Kelly, our wild and wayward mother,” the notice which was posted in the Sydney Morning Herald began.
Jennifer Ann lived most of her life outside Nimbin and The Channon in northern NSW until she moved to a nursing home in Turramurra 18 months ago.
Her sons' tribute has triggered a call for more honesty about death as they opened up about their unconventional upbringing.
They revealed that their mum refused to say "passed" when someone died, believed exposing youth to religion was a form of child abuse, and "it was impossible to watch the news in her presence due to her vocal outrage."
And while the two brothers had spent most of their lives "compensating for our upbringing", their mother's "rare attempts at 'responsible' parenting or grandparenting were always touching".
They also added: “Mum grew great dope, never wanted to leave a party and gave up champagne or gin frequently, but never simultaneously.”
“News on what’s next to follow. Bring a shovel," they ended the notice.
Their good-humoured grief and honesty gained global attention after it was posted on Reddit. It was also included in British outlet The Independent and US People Magazine.
“Your mum sounds phenomenal. The amazing tribute has reached thousands of people in the UK,” one Reddit user said.
“I wish I’d known Jenny, she sounds wonderful. Thank you for a wonderful obituary – clearly Jenny lived until she died,” added another.
Others praised their candidness, with one saying: “[It’s] honest, as opposed to all those people who suddenly become heroes/Mother Teresa when they die.”
In an interview with 7NEWS Sean admitted that the unconventional obituary was a first for him.
“I’d never done a death notice, I’d never really looked at them,” he said.
“I swear I spent less than four minutes on that.”
He added that he wasn't even sure it would be published, and “the next thing I knew, the day after, someone said ‘I think we heard someone on the radio talking about your mother this morning’.”
“She would say that she was mortified, but all my friends tell me she would be absolutely delighted at the attention.”
Jennie leaves behind her two sons and three grandchildren.
Images: 7News/ SMH