Brandon Thomas living ‘parlour man’ dream

When he was a young boy growing up in Kilmarnock, Westmoreland, Brandon Thomas was clear in his mind about the career path he wanted to take. He had no interest in becoming a lawyer, doctor, teacher, fireman or farmer. He simply wanted to be a 'parlour man'.

"From a younger age, I used to love seeing the men from the funeral homes when they come to do burials in my community. One day my mother asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up and out of nowhere, said a parlour man," he reminised.

His mother was quite distressed and told him that she is not raising him to go and work with the deceased. But Thomas persisted, demonstrating his passion in unconventional ways.

"I didn't stop," he said. "I killed lizards and frogs and had an entire funeral for them. Every time I witnessed a funeral I killed a lizard and pretended that it passed away, then prepared it for a funeral," he recalled.

His passion for the after-life sector intensified after he migrated to the United States of America at the age of 15 in 2007. He told THE STAR that when he entered the working world, he deviated from his initial dream of being in the funeral business and ended up as a car detailer. However, a chance conversation with a friend, who consistently appeared well-dressed due to his job, piqued Thomas's curiosity. Learning that his friend's mother owned a funeral home, Thomas began assisting with washing hearses.

"I was so obsessed with seeing the casket open, always trying to see exactly how it looked inside. I was always hanging around until one day she (the owner) noticed my interest in the morgue," Thomas recounted.

Fortune smiled upon him when his friend went on a three-month vacation, opening up an opportunity for Thomas.

"During that time, I worked in the morgue for three years, learning the art of embalming and preparing bodies for their final journey," he reflected.

He told THE STAR that he earned a mortuary science degree before returning to Jamaica, where he opened his own funeral business -- BT Thomas Funeral Home Limited, which has locations in New Market, St Elizabeth, and Darliston, Westmoreland.

"It was an incredible feeling to finally realise my lifelong dream. I garnered tremendous support due to my dedication. When I'm called to serve a family, I give my utmost to ensure their loved ones appear as close to their living selves as possible. I am their pillar of support until their loved one is laid to rest," Thomas said.