That was the experience family and friends of Defence Forces Veteran Shay Bradley had on Saturday at his burial ceremony in Kilmanagh, Leinster.
The mourners were bitterly crying and suddenly paused upon hearing a voice screaming to be set free.
“Hello, hello — let me out! Where the f - - k am I? Let me out, let me out. It’s f - - king dark in here. Is that the priest I can hear? This is Shay, I’m in the box. No, in f - - king front of you. I’m dead,” the mourners reportedly heard.
According to the New York Post, it was a posthumous recording done by the deceased himself before his death.
As if the scream for freedom was not shocking and frightening enough, the recorded voice continued by singing for the mourners.
“Hello again, hello. Hello, I just called to say goodbye,” it sounded.
The friends and family who were in tears mourning the loss of the good-humoured officer then had an emotional transition from bitterness to a combination of delight and grief.
Relatives are reported to have said that Shay Bradley knew that he was going to die of a “long illness bravely borne” and decided “to make his family laugh rather than cry at the funeral.”
The development has gone so viral on social media garnering over 500,000 views and over 16,000 likes.
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“My dad’s dying [sic] wish, always the pranksters. Ya got them good Poppabear and gave us all a laugh just when we needed it!! I will love you forever #shayslastlaugh.” the deceased’s daughter Andrea wrote on Facebook and it got more than 70,000 views.
She again proceeded to twitter to say: “What a man …To make us all laugh when we were incredibly sad…He was some man for one man…Love you forever Poppabear #Shayslastlaugh.”
The tragic death of Shay Bradley on Oct. 8 became a comedy show thanks to him.
“Was asked a question the other day, it was what’s the difference between military humour and Civilian humour it’s simple it’s black. This video should say it all,” other veterans of the Defence Force posted on Facebook.
Shay Bradley is survived by his wife, Anne, and children, Jonathan, Susanne, James and Andrea.