"Most people think scattered ashes help trees grow. They actually kill them." Amanda Kelly speaks about death with startling clarity — not as a taboo topic, but as a natural part of life we've been conditioned to misunderstand. But that wasn't always the case.

“I used to be terrified of death,” she admits. “It was this black hole I tried not to look at. Then, in a very short span of time, I lost several people close to me. One after another, after another.”

It was 2020. Amanda was grieving in quarantine, isolated in her home, surrounded by small urns on a living room shelf. “That was supposed to be the ‘happy ending’ — the culmination of their lives — and I remember thinking… this can’t be it. There has to be more.”

So she started asking different questions.

Rethinking the End

Amanda’s path to entrepreneurship wasn’t linear. A former librarian turned economic development professional, she was no stranger to big systems thinking or public service. But death care? That felt like a leap — until it became personal.

Fueled by her lived experience and a curiosity for more sustainable, meaningful alternatives, Amanda began to investigate how other cultures and countries approached end-of-life practices. 

What she discovered was staggering: "Seventy-five percent of Canadians choose cremation, not realizing that cremated remains contain high levels of sodium and the same pH as bleach that make soil inhospitable to plant life. That romantic notion of becoming one with a tree? Scientifically impossible — until now."

She dug deeper, eventually discovering a soil blend developed by scientists in the UK and U.S. — one that could transform cremated remains into nutrient-rich material capable of sustaining life. “There was nothing like it in Canada,” Amanda says. “So I asked — what would it take to create this here?”

The Birth of AWAKE

Armed with this scientific breakthrough, Amanda spent the next two years transforming her grief into purpose. She immersed herself in the funeral industry, completing certifications in funeral planning while building relationships with cemetery operators and soil scientists. This intensive groundwork led to AWAKE — a social enterprise reimagining end-of-life practices for an environmentally conscious generation.

The company's flagship product, the Memorial Planting Kit, uses a proprietary soil science to neutralize the harmful properties of cremated remains, creating an environment where plants can thrive. Families now have the option to transform loss into renewal — whether through a potted hibiscus shared between sisters, or a Japanese maple that grows stronger with each passing season.

These are more than just products. They are rituals — acts of remembrance that align with the values many of us live by: sustainability, connection, reverence, and story.

Community Gardens & Changing Landscapes

Working within a highly regulated, historic industry hasn’t been easy. “At first, people didn’t know how to categorize us,” Amanda recalls. “And when something doesn’t fit, it can feel threatening.”

Through persistence and partnership, Amanda and her team earned the industry's trust. Today, she co-chairs the sustainability committee with the Ontario Association of Cemetery and Funeral Professionals, helping shape the future of deathcare. Their most ambitious initiative? Reimagining cemetery landscapes entirely.

“In Canada, many cemeteries are running out of land. When that happens, municipalities are legally required to maintain them — even if they're abandoned — and it falls on taxpayers,” she explains. “We saw this massive challenge and asked: how can we make this system more sustainable?”

AWAKE’'s solution: living memorial gardens. These biodiverse spaces within existing cemeteries combine their soil technology with thoughtful landscaping to create vibrant ecosystems. Whether as community sanctuaries or private family gardens, these spaces allow for personalized plant selection and dedications while using 95% less land than traditional burial plots. It's not just about conservation — it's about creating spaces that celebrate life while honouring death.

Beyond Business: A Personal Mission

The vision for AWAKE was further enriched by co-founder Lauren's unique perspective. As a minister in the metaphysical ministry and someone deeply connected to her Chinese heritage, Lauren brought centuries-old wisdom to their modern approach. "In Chinese culture, death isn't something to fear or hide from," Amanda explains. "Through traditions like Tomb Sweeping Day and graveside gatherings, remembrance becomes a natural part of living. That's what we're trying to recreate here — but with an environmental consciousness."

Together, Amanda and Lauren have built AWAKE  into something more than a business — it’s a movement. Their long-term vision includes creating their own memorial forests across Canada, offering free resting places to families experiencing child loss or to pets never adopted. They also hope to use new ground-penetrating radar to respectfully revitalize abandoned cemetery spaces, and eventually track carbon sequestration in their gardens to quantify the ecological impact.

Why “AWAKE”?

The name AWAKE carries layered meaning: a wake as in the gathering, a wake as in the ripple behind a boat, and a call to wake up to new possibilities.

And that’s exactly what Amanda and her team are doing — not just disrupting an industry, but gently, reverently, helping people across Canada wake up to a different way of remembering.

Advice for Those Navigating Grief

When asked what advice she’d offer readers exploring new ways to process grief or make legacy decisions, Amanda pauses.

“Know your values in life. If you’re someone who eats organic, shops secondhand, recycles — it doesn’t make sense that your values would stop at death. Ask yourself: what choices align with who I’ve been all along?”

Her hope is simple but powerful: “We want people to feel less afraid. To accept that end-of-life is part of living — and that it can be beautiful, personal, and in harmony with nature.”

To learn more about sustainable end-of-life options or to explore AWAKE's services, visit their website or follow their journey on social media .