Empathy, a platform helping families navigate the journey they face after losing a loved one, today announced that renowned grief expert David Kessler has joined Empathy as Chief Empathy Officer.
Kessler is the world’s foremost expert on grief and loss, as well as the author of six books, including On Grief & Grieving, which he co-authored with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, and his bestseller Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief. Kessler teaches physicians, nurses, counselors, police, and first responders about the end of life, trauma, and grief. At Empathy, he is instrumental in the design of Empathy’s grief support and care services, and writes the application’s grief guidance episodes.
“In my decades of helping grieving families, I heard repeatedly about how overwhelming executing an estate can be when coping with tragedy,” said Kessler. “In fact, this was personal for me – after my son’s passing, I was unable to close his bank account. I called, visited the bank in person, and pleaded with everyone on staff, but to no avail. After a few years, I gave up – the few hundred dollars wasn’t worth the emotional pain. With Empathy’s help, however, I was able to finally resolve this in mere minutes. I can tell you firsthand that Empathy’s approach of combining unique technology to ease the logistical burdens families face with a commitment to guiding them through tough times is powerful, and a mission that I fully endorse.”
Combining technology and human support, Empathy’s app streamlines end-of-life bureaucracy, minimizes tedious tasks, and automates processes involved in the administration of an estate while also providing emotional guidance and practical assistance. On average, families spend over 500 hours following a death dealing with immediate needs like arranging a funeral, as well as long-term processes such as account cancelations, estate administration, and benefits claims. These tasks leave people overburdened, unprepared, and struggling to cope.
“David has shaped the way we all talk about loss, so having him on our team has been critical in helping us provide the support bereaved families need,” said Ron Gura, Co-Founder & CEO of Empathy. “There is no pill that alleviates this kind of emotional pain. But there is hope, and there is help. We truly believe that with technological efficiency and emotional support, we can ensure that relief is near.”
Empathy launched in April backed by $13M in seed funding, in a round co-led by General Catalyst and Aleph. Empathy’s app is now available on both iOS and Android devices throughout the US.
About Empathy
Empathy‘s mission is to help families deal with loss, incorporating both emotional and logistical support for the families in their time of need. Powered by technology and driven by purpose, Empathy’s application simplifies and streamlines end-of-life bureaucracy with personalized plans and grief support. Launched in 2021 and headquartered in New York and Tel Aviv, Empathy was founded by Ron Gura and Yonatan Bergman and is backed by VC firms General Catalyst and Aleph. To receive more information about Empathy’s app, visit us at Empathy.com.
