Founder Story

When we launched the Tending app, my very first thought was deeply personal.

I asked myself one simple question: Who in my family is buried far away from me?

Almost immediately, one person came to mind. My grandfather’s closest friend, Anatoly. He is buried in Miami, Florida.

His wife, my grandmother’s sister, is thankfully still alive. They spent their lives together. Distance, time, and age have made visiting harder for her.

That’s when I decided to use our service for the very first time.

Not as a founder. Just as a family member.

I signed up for a subscription through the app. Since the cemetery required permission from the next of kin, I reached out to my cousin and asked if she could approve it.

Her answer was honest and gentle. “I think the headstone is in good condition. But if you want to do it, of course you can.”

Once I got her approval, I placed the order. One of our contractors completed the work at the cemetery.

When it was finished, I shared the service report — including before-and-after photos — in our family group chat.

The response surprised me.

Everyone was shocked. No one expected such a visible difference.

And Anatoly’s wife was deeply moved.

In that moment, I realized something important.

People often don’t understand that headstones require ongoing care — not because they don’t care, but because they live far away, life gets busy, and travel can be hard.

And I also saw how powerful a gesture this can be for the older generation.

This kind of care becomes a gift. One that cannot be replaced by money, objects, or words.

It's a gift of remembrance, dignity, and respect — especially for those who can no longer visit the cemetery themselves.

That experience made our mission very clear to me.

This is why we built Tending.