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Stories

Florida Man Spends His One Day Off Cleaning Forgotten Veterans’ Tombstones

by Zack Walkter

5 years ago

This story was originally written by Peter Huevo for mutually.

Many Americans respect and honor fallen veterans in their own way. Whether it be parades, ceremonies, or monuments. However, many people forget to honor and take care of the graves that stand as the last visual marker for many of these fallen saviors. The Good Cemeterian, Andrew Lumish, takes time out of his own life to go around and clean the tombstones of veterans all over the Tampa Bay area.

1. Before and after.

Facebook/The Good Cemeterian

These images are an example of one of the graves that Andrew has had his hand with. Andrew runs a carpet and upholstery cleaning service in Tampa, Florida and only spends his only day off cleaning the graves of passed away veterans even dating back to the civil war.

2. The process.

Facebook

Working hard to run his own business, Andrew takes the same vigor when cleaning the tombstones of the deceased. Andrew first rinses the headstones with water then sprays them with a cleaning chemical compound called D/2. Just like someone scrubbing soap scum from their tile in the shower, Andrew scrubs away years of mold, dirt, and decay.

3. Readable once again.

Facebook/The Good Cemeterian

As said before, Andrew cleans the stones of even the oldest of graves. This image of a tombstone for a veteran from the late 1800s wasn’t even readable anymore. That is, until Andrew got his hands on it. The once pitch-black tombstone now shines in the sun with a brilliant silver gloss that looks like the tombstone was made only yesterday.

4. Glowing in the night.

Facebook/The Good Cemeterian

What once was a dark cemetery, is now brightened throughout the night be these newly cleaned headstones. Rain brings algae, and the stone used to make tombstones absorbs and holds on to a large amount of the moisture during storms. Because of this, a thick layer of algae and moss will begin to grow on tombstones. However, once Andrew works his magic on them, they glow with a luster that makes night time at a cemetery seem like its day.

5. Professional cleaning.

Facebook/The Good Cemeterian

Andrew says that he studied how to properly clean gravestones in his free time. He uses the same techniques and chemicals that all the national cemeteries in the U.S. use on their gravestones. Andrew admits that doing this work is not easy. It can take as long as 3 months to fully restore an untouched gravestone.

6. Not alone.

Facebook

Andrew is not alone when in his endeavors to restore the gravestones of fallen veterans. His wife accompanies him almost every Sunday to support him and help in any way that she can. Furthermore, Andrew posts before and after pictures of all the graves he restores on his Facebook page. His page has amassed a large following of people who cheer him on as he works to respect fallen American heroes.

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Comments

  1. Diane says

    May 26, 2019 at 5:18 pm

    Wonderful Job u tow are doing thank U for those who can not say thank U Prays and Blessing to U’s always for what U do

    • Kyra Brooke says

      December 16, 2019 at 1:59 pm

      How hard is it to write the word ¨you¨? And capitialazation please…

      Wonderful job you two are doing, thank you for those whom cannot say thank you, and prayers and blessings to you guys for what you do.

      • Bob says

        December 16, 2019 at 10:12 pm

        “And capitalization please…” is a sentence fragment. Your use of “whom”, which is an object, is incorrect. In this case the word who is correct as it is the subject of the clause “those who cannot say thank you.” Nobody likes an internet grammar nazi, especially when they are wrong.

  2. Dwayne Bacon says

    December 12, 2019 at 12:29 am

    Awesome brother! I wonder if he needs any help. I would love to help him.

  3. Angie Buchanan says

    December 12, 2019 at 7:19 am

    I to help clean their grave sights to

    I’ll do it here in vermont and as spring comes

    I will start the cleansing an cleaning of their stones also

    Thank you both for doing it am we should start state to state an bring back the respect an memories 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🤘

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