Man creates QR code for dad's grave so people can learn about his life
A man has created a QR code for his dad's grave so curious mourners can find out about his life as an atomic veteran.
Michael Bourque, an inventor, engineer and self-proclaimed futurist, from Boston, Massachusetts, 3D-printed a QR code and attached it to his father's headstone.
The waterproof QR code, which even glows in the dark, leads to a bespoke website about his father, John Harold Bourque, who passed away in April 2017 at the age of 87.
Visitors to the site will learn that John was born in Melrose, Massachusetts, during the Great Depression, was a carpenter by trade, and served in the Korean War.
The website also includes information about his life and experiences such as being an "atomic veteran" who participated in nuclear-weapon tests.
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The QR code can be scanned by any passerby to learn about his father's life (Michael Bourque)"When someone dies, they put a marker on the ground before you buy the stone. I thought, 'Jeez, no one's gonna see this. There's so much to know about my dad.' And in an instant, I came up with this idea," he told DailyMail.com.
Michael Bourque described his dad as a devoted husband and father and said he had a "wonderful relationship" with him.
"It's very difficult to see him go. I miss him a lot but, boy, would he be thrilled with this story right here," he said.
Michael said he had a 'wonderful relationship' with his dad (Michael Bourque)"You know what he'd be saying about this product? He'd be saying, 'This is one of those products that people are dying to use,'" he joked.
"Everyone's been scanning it, and when someone scans it, I know where they are in the world," he explained.
"This has been scanned all over the world — even Korea, where my father fought in the Korean War. He'd be so thrilled to know that his story has reached that far."
Bourque created a virtual model of the QR code and 3D-printed it using waterproof plastic (Michael Bourque)About a month after installing the code, the younger Mr Bourque shared a photo of the QR code on LinkedIn.
The photo went viral and he received a flood of messages from people expressing their interest in the idea of creating QR codes for their loved ones.
Mr Bourque also received inquiries from companies such as After Cloud, a UK-based firm that provides a platform for storing essential memories, thoughts and information in various media formats.
Michael Bourque with his father (left) and mother (right) (Michael Bourque)"I think we can get people over the idea that being in a graveyard is morbid. It's not. it's a beautiful place to go, actually," he said. "And if QR codes were there, I think people would scan them."
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Mr Bourque sees potential in QR codes for the future, particularly in creating immersive experiences when visiting graves and remembering the deceased.
"I'm looking for a graveyard or cemetery that would like to build a new immersive experience," he said. "Let's put these on all these graves."
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