Bindy Badgy Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-46475631 Quote Hotel staff created a "horrifying" effigy of a couple's dead son in a misguided attempt at a tribute. Karen Baker had arranged for workers at a Jamaican resort to dress a room for friends Faye and Andrew Stephens, whose son Alex died in 2014. Instead, she was left "sweating and shaking" when met by the sight of a body made out of clothes lying on the hotel bed. TUI UK refunded the family for the "misunderstanding". The Stephens, from Willesden, north-west London, have made an annual tradition of celebrating their son's birthday since his death, aged 22, in 2014. 'Utterly horrified' His godmother Ms Baker, from Hertfordshire, who was also on the trip, tipped two members of staff at the Royalton Jamaica Resort to secretly adorn the couple's bedroom with balloons and a cake. Instead, they created the effigy, replete with tears on its face and a can of lager clutched in its hand, next to petals spelling out "We miss you Alex". Mrs Baker, who first discovered the effigy, said she was "utterly horrified" and removed the dummy before her friends saw it. "When I walked into the bedroom, all I can describe is a dummy body on the bed," she said. "Staff had gone through my friend's wardrobe and stuffed the clothes with towels to make it look like a body on the bed. They even put tears down the face and a can of lager in his hand. "I was absolutely horrified - as you can imagine I was sweating and shaking. We just didn't want our friends to see it. "I have truly never seen anything like it. I still look at the photographs now and can't believe somebody thought to do that", she said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah O Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_hmfc Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 Every day we stray further from God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irufushi Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 Shouldn’t but ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iantjambo Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herbert. Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 ? That is hilarious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Internet Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 Imagine walking into your hotel room and seeing that. Before you even get to the dead son part it's ****ing terrifying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sooperstar Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 Funniest thing I've seen all week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 Eh. Ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddley Walker Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 I mean... What the **** were they thinking ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radio Ga Ga Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 ? Brilliant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambof3tornado Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 Whats wrong with a swan made of towels?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FWJ Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 Who took the photos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
¼½¾ Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 The only one who saw it was the friend who asked for a tribute, and the whole party got a free 5 star holiday. That's a result by anyone's book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Brown Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 5 hours ago, Lemongrab said: The only one who saw it was the friend who asked for a tribute, and the whole party got a free 5 star holiday. That's a result by anyone's book The family received a full refund of £1,300 per person for the five-star holiday after raising the issue on BBC Three Counties' JVS show. I was waiting on the famous quote of "it's not about money, but we feel that we deserve more." ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sooperstar Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 8 hours ago, Lemongrab said: The only one who saw it was the friend who asked for a tribute, and the whole party got a free 5 star holiday. That's a result by anyone's book. Aye, such an upsetting incident for the family that instead of just clearing it up and never mentioning it the friend decided to take photos so that the family could see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Potter Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 11 hours ago, Riddley Walker said: I mean... What the **** were they thinking ? Dont think thinking comes in to it, beyond belief this one, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der Kaiser Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 I know I should be horrified.......but.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown user Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 It's just a cultural thing isn't it? Using effigies to celebrate the dead isn't that unusual in some cultures. It's pretty clumsy and crass to our eyes but I bet the guys that did it had the best of intentions and thought it was fitting. 19 minutes ago, Der Kaiser said: I know I should be horrified.......but.... Of course, also this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homme Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 Funniest thing I've seen in a while Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XB52 Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 1 hour ago, Sooperstar said: Aye, such an upsetting incident for the family that instead of just clearing it up and never mentioning it the friend decided to take photos so that the family could see. that was my reaction too. The couple would never have known anything about it but now, thanks to this person, they get the shock and a free holiday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iantjambo Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 1 hour ago, Der Kaiser said: I know I should be horrified.......but.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambothump Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 12 hours ago, Irufushi said: Shouldn’t but ... I'm with you bud ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlasgoJambo Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 **** me ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Салатные палочки Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 It's the tears running down the cheeks that gets me . I feel quite bad for the hotel staff that went to the effort. Quite sure they had no idea what they would cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taffin Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 (edited) 48 minutes ago, Salad Fingers said: It's the tears running down the cheeks that gets me . I feel quite bad for the hotel staff that went to the effort. Quite sure they had no idea what they would cause. It's them I feel most sorry for tbh. Try to do something nice for culturally ignorant tourists wHo then hang them out to dry in the British press. Edited December 8, 2018 by Taffin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armageddon Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 Couldn't believe what I was reading!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homme Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 The more I look at those effigies the funnier it gets ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herbert. Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 7 hours ago, Homme said: The more I look at those effigies the funnier it gets ? It's the way the feet are positioned that gets me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Camazzola Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 8 hours ago, Homme said: The more I look at those effigies the funnier it gets ? It's the little details. The can of beer and the sunglasses! ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irufushi Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 11 hours ago, Homme said: The more I look at those effigies the funnier it gets ? Zoom in on the face . Brilliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Jersey_HMFC Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 She kind of instigated it asking for balloons and a cake etc. everyone mourns/remembers their lost loved ones in different ways but to have a sort of birthday party for a deceased family is quite rare is it not. They pretty much opened the door for what happened and as others have said hotel staff probably thought they were being nice going an extra mile in their mind, ended up as a cultural misunderstanding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milky_26 Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 11 hours ago, Steve_Jersey_HMFC said: She kind of instigated it asking for balloons and a cake etc. everyone mourns/remembers their lost loved ones in different ways but to have a sort of birthday party for a deceased family is quite rare is it not. They pretty much opened the door for what happened and as others have said hotel staff probably thought they were being nice going an extra mile in their mind, ended up as a cultural misunderstanding I think we can guess what film the staff had been watching before they had their idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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