A grieving woman was left shocked after a funeral director called saying they could no longer do her partner's service and asked that he be 'picked up'.
Sonya Smith, 41, had arranged for Heavenly Funeral Services to plan the send off for her partner Richard Birch, who died on October 3 after collapsing in front of his nine-year-old son, Riley.
The heartbroken mum, who is struggling to come to the terms with his sudden passing, told Hull Live that the phone call felt like 'being kicked when I was already down'.
The funeral home had already had Rich's body for a week when they contacted Sonya. Her appointment was due for the following day where she would discuss the funeral arrangements.
She said: "I was taking my son to school when I got a phone call from a not very sympathetic and abrupt voice said 'I'm sorry but we are not able to do the funeral any more and we want you to get him picked up'.
"I was just so shocked. I don't even remember what I said in response. I felt like saying 'what on earth am I supposed to do, send a taxi?'
"I've never had to do anything like this before and didn't even know what to say, I just said 'what do I do?'"
Fortunately, Sonya was able to go straight to her son's school office, at St Richards VC Academy, in Marfleet Lane, where staff and teachers have been supporting the family through their trauma.
Staff there got on the phone to Heavenly Services, and also arranged for another funeral director to collect Rich's body and handle the funeral.
Sonya said: "I was in the right place at the right time, they've been amazing. Without them, I think I'd have had a nervous breakdown.
"I felt like I had been punched in the stomach when they rang and told me. I don't like to think about what might have happened if Riley's school hadn't helped me. I was just in bits."
"But I just worry for the other families who must have been affected as well, who might not have the support that I do, and how they're feeling right now."
Rich had lived with Sonya, his partner of 15 years, in Greatfield, east Hull, with Riley, and Sonya's older son from a previous relationship.
Rich discovered he had a brain aneurysm in 2013 after he was scanned following a mild stroke.
He passed away from the aneurysm on morning of October 3, when he was at home with Sonya and Riley.
Sonya agreed to donate his organs while he was on life support after being told he was brain dead.
Surgeons managed to transplant his kidneys and liver, and his heart was used for medical research.
His funeral, which is now being handled by Mike East Funeral Services, is now scheduled for October 28.
Heavenly Funeral Services did not respond to a request for comment.
