Strangers step up to help give woman proper wake after family unreachable

ENGLEWOOD, New Jersey (WABC) -- A funeral home in Englewood, New Jersey held a wake for a 92-year-old who died with no living loved ones to claim her body.

The funeral home started searching for Carmela Polimeni's family after she died last month, even putting an ad in a newspaper in hopes someone might know her.

After getting no response, the community stepped in and donated funds for a gravesite, headstone, and funeral.

"Flowers have come in for her and we have pieces here. This has been a great outpour. It's even changed the way we see so much going on in our world today. It's just been a blessing." said the funeral director.

Eternity Funeral Services will hold a mass on Thursday.

What is known is that Polimeni lived for decades at The Glenwood retirement housing in Leonia. She had been treated a few times at a Care One rehabilitation facility in Cresskill where she passed away.

American authorities even tried reaching out to Italy, where she may have had a nephew or a niece.

While no one came forward, there was an outpouring number of phone calls from strangers, asking to help, saying they would attend if there were services.