As it turns out, there’s an application that just does that.
FiveTies is dedicated to people close to death who wish to store memories for their friends and family members. These can be in the form of messages, photos or recordings, and will be sent to a deceased’s nominated loved ones after passing.
Users can store unlimited memories, and each can consist of up to five minutes of video or voice message, 10 photographs, or up to 2,000 written words. Copies of important documents can be securely kept, to be revealed only to specific people after the user’s passing.
Recipients will be sent an email as well as a bi-annual reminder notifying them that the user left something for them. To retrieve these memories, they will have to upload the death certificate before being provided a secure link to retrieve them.
This service comes at affordable prices as low as RM12.90 for a yearly subscription, as well as a free option with limited functionality.
FiveTies was founded with the goal of comforting people after the loss of a loved one. By offering solace in the form of a last message, the FiveTies team hopes to break down the barriers of how people view death.
Business development manager John Shanker explained to FMT the origin of the application’s name. “We all have people closest to us who play important roles in our lives – our partners, children, parents, siblings and close friends,” he said.
“These are the five ties linking us to this life on earth. These are the people we will want to leave lasting messages for.”
The app is likely to find traction with people with terminal illnesses, according to Shanker, and is also a boon to introverts who are quiet in life but still have something to say before they go.
“Everyone we have spoken to thinks this is a revolutionary idea,” he added.
Based on a survey by FiveTies, most of its users left messages conveying their last wishes. Other messages consist of advice or assurances, with some people deciding to share their life stories.
“There are no restrictions on what users can keep as a message, but in general, we promote expressions of love, regret, gratefulness, and goodbye,” Shanker said.
Despite the positive reception FiveTies has received, it remains difficult to discuss matters of death in Asia, as it is even considered taboo in some communities. Shanker hopes FiveTies can help open up discussions on the matter.
“If people leave memories with FiveTies, their family members will have the opportunity to hear their last words. Everybody must have a chance to say what they need to say to their loved ones,” he said.
To learn more about FiveTies, visit its website, Facebook or Instagram. It is available on the Google Play Store and App Store.