The only thing commanding sorrow at Sparrow Funeral Home in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Wednesday night was the Knicks’ score for most of Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
About 100 people were glued to two giant screens in rooms usually reserved for celebrating the dead, where they munched on Knicks-colored snacks (Cheetos and lollipops) and sipped free wine. They were very much hoping their team, which was significantly behind the San Antonio Spurs, would come back to life.
“ You know, if things go wrong, there's space for grief,” joked Robin Silver, a death doula who said she’s worked at Sparrow in the past – but had never been there for anything like this.
The idea to host a watch party at the funeral home came to owner Erica Hill after watching Knicks center-forward Karl-Anthony Towns talk publicly about losing his mother.
“He's going through the exact same thing as the guy down the street and the lady in the bodega and the guy on Wall Street," Hill said. "You know, we're all human.”
Hill was inspired. She wanted to provide a space for people in the community to honor a loved one they’d lost – maybe the person they’d normally be watching the game with.
“ I was like, ‘Well, maybe we should have a watch party,’’’ Hill said, anticipating that only a handful of people would show up. “ I thought, ‘We'll just go to the grocery store and get some chips and dip, and that will be it.’”
After some former clients with significant social media followings posted about the event, Hill was suddenly facing a list of RSVPs that was larger than most of the funerals she hosts. She said she had to start turning people away.
Sparrow owner Erica Hill and Peaches getting ready for the game.
“ I'm still processing what even happened,” she said about the attendance list as people arrived, clad in Knicks attire. Even Hill’s Yorkie, Peaches, who was wearing a tiny orange Knicks cape, seemed slightly overwhelmed by the crowd.
Unlike at many bars, entry to Sparrow was free on Wednesday night. The space was air-conditioned, bright and roomy, with seats for just about everyone.
But those who came to watch Game 4 said they did not come for any of that.
“ I'm here because New York's just coming together for the Knicks, and this is so representative. Like, it's not just the sports bars – it's the bodegas, the funeral homes,” said David Ocean. “I feel like this was where I would find community really coming together to watch the game.”
“ My friends were like, ‘We have to go check it out,’” said Sami Smith, who said she saw the post on Instagram.
Silver, the death doula, said she came by because she was curious about who the other attendees would be.
“How many people are sports people who are a little bit spooky, versus spooky people who are like bandwagon sports fans, which is totally what I am,” she said. “ The thing that I love about living in New York is everyone's, like, a little weird.”
True to her initial impetus for hosting the watch party, Hill provided opportunities for grieving people to honor their loved ones. A white poster board in the entryway, featuring a photo of Towns and his late mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, encouraged guests to write the names of those they were missing. At halftime, the list of names was read aloud.
“It's just great to be able to have not only the conversation around death and dying, but the conversation around grief,” said death doula Daphne McWilliams, who also works with clients at Sparrow. “ We're part of this movement so people know they're not alone.”
Late in the game, fans watched the Knicks revive themselves with a record-breaking comeback.
Hill said she was already getting inquiries about a watch party for Game 5, but she’d have to turn back to regular programming.
“I was like, ‘No, we have a funeral on Saturday.’ So I feel like this was sort of a one-time thing, and I'm so grateful that people are interested in showing up,” she said.
When asked if the event might generate some future business, Hill said she had no idea.
“ I would have my funeral here,” Smith said. “It's really cute, and I think it's so sweet that they open their doors up to the community.”
