Hero of the Week: August 12, 2024: John O’Looney

“I know my days are numbered for daring to speak the truth.” ~ John O’Looney

This week, we recognize British funeral director John O’Looney as our Hero of the Week. With nearly two decades of undertaker experience, O’Looney’s professional concerns intensified in 2021 after he encountered the case of a young man who had died unexpectedly. In an interview, he recounted, “We pulled a clot out of his femoral artery the full length of his leg. Have I ever seen anything like this before? No, in honesty, and I don’t expect to find it in 30-year-olds and 32-year-olds and 48-year-olds and 42-year-olds. It’s young people.”

Since then, the courageous O’Looney has consistently voiced his concerns, with other funeral directors around the world echoing his findings. O’Looney has expressed dismay over excess mortality (including in babies and the young), the manipulation and suppression of data surrounding deaths in the UK, the use of questionable hospital protocols and associated pharmaceuticals, and most recently, the challenges posed by illegal immigration in the UK. His many interviews, including with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and self-recorded videos have gained traction on social media, where he continues to shed light on these troubling trends. As Catherine says, “He just keeps talking sense.”

As a devoted husband and father, O’Looney acknowledges that his candid approach may provoke criticism; however, he remains steadfast in his commitment to speak out, believing it is both his duty and the right course of action. He has stated:

“Imagine that I pick a deceased up from the hospital, and I bring that deceased back to my funeral home, and I’m in the mortuary, and as I am rolling this deceased over to dress them, I see a puncture wound or a knife hanging out of their back. I have an obligation to report those concerns, for two reasons: one, I have a legal obligation to do that; legally, I have to report it, and I report that to my local coroner. Then number two, I have a moral obligation as a decent human being.”

Individuals like O’Looney warrant our admiration, recognition, and attention for their courageous advocacy.