Thankless job: Bladen County mortuary handles coronavirus cases from near and far

It's home to F.W. Newton and Sons Mortuary. Owner F.W. Newton Jr. now has funeral homes as far away as Charlotte calling on him to embalm or cremate the remains of those who died from COVID-19.

"No one wants to do it, because they're afraid of it. They don't understand it, and for good reason," Newton said.

He spent years providing embalming services for funeral homes in the region that needed the help.

Now, with the coronavirus, many mortuaries are worried about handling infected bodies.

"And the best way to do it in some cases is to have an outside agency pick up and do that part and bring it to them when it's sanitized and safe," Newton added.

So, he's helping again.

When asked about concern for his own staff, Newton replied, "No, not at all because I'm taking all the precautions. I'm taking it very seriously. And I think I understand the virus a little bit better."

He would not divulge specifics of his precautions, but he says he's wearing more thorough protective gear and not exposing any of his skin.

The state's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has provided guidance to mortuary staff, including wearing heavy-duty gloves and a face shield.

"It's important to adhere to very specific precautions. They're already trained in universal precautions in handling any remains from communicable or infectious disease," stated Stephen Davis, N.C. Board of Funeral Service.

Before the coronavirus, tuberculosis, a deadly contagion, had been his biggest danger, Newton said.

"At least with TB, we've got a vaccine."

He spoke with WRAL News just before heading to Dunn to pick up the remains of a coronavirus patient.

"It's that one kind of job that nobody, well, it's a thankless job," he said, but, "It's what I do, it's who I am."

Quietly going about the necessary work in a time of fear and mourning.