TUESDAY June 2, 2020 : 'THIS IS NOT A REAL GOODBYE' by ZUMA Photographer and Pulitzer winning Sacramento Bee Staff Photographer Renée C. Byer, brings us this heartfelt essay that reveals how social distancing has ruined the sanctity of funerals. Saying their final goodbyes in the cemetery parking lot. Squinting from the sun, a livestream of the funeral service taking place just steps away for their Ba, their father, their grandfather, Dung Nguyen. Through tiny digital screens, they watched his son lean over his casket and rest a hand on his chest. Michael Chambon whispered: 'THIS IS NOT A REAL GOODBYE.'
© zReportage.com Story of the Week #739: TUESDAY June 2, 2020 : 'THIS IS NOT A REAL GOODBYE' by ZUMA Photographer and Pulitzer winning Sacramento Bee Staff Photographer Renée C. Byer, brings us this heartfelt essay that reveals how social distancing has ruined the sanctity of funerals. Saying their final goodbyes in the cemetery parking lot. Squinting from the sun, a livestream of the funeral service taking place just steps away for their Ba, their father, their grandfather, Dung Nguyen. Through tiny digital screens, they watched his son lean over his casket and rest a hand on his chest. Michael Chambon whispered: 'THIS IS NOT A REAL GOODBYE.'

TRANG NGUYEN, left, says that it was very difficult picking out the casket for her father-in-law Dung Tan Nguyen when the funeral home only permitted two family members there because of social distancing, during the coronavirus outbreak. ''I felt very sad today picking out his headstone knowing both his sons weren't able to be there and his grandchildren to be in the conference room today too,'' said Nguyen.
© Renée C. Byer/Sacramento Bee via ZUMA Wire

TRINH NGUYEN,10,wipes tears after she was permitted to enter a back door and view her grandfather for the last time, during the coronavirus outbreak. At first no family members were permitted inside accept her parents an uncle and aunt but the funeral director had a change of heart and allowed close family members in for a few minutes before the funeral began in an almost empty room.
© Renée C. Byer/Sacramento Bee via ZUMA Wire

BAO NGUYEN films the funeral of his father Dung Tan Nguyen as his brother MICHAEL CHAMBON gives one last touch alongside TRANG NGUYEN, left, and KIM ANH DINH, during the coronavirus outbreak. The funeral was restricted to only four family members and they were torn between grieving and taking turns trying to facebook live the event. People sat outside trying to get the stream but got frustrated because it lagged and it was hard to hear.
© Renée C. Byer/Sacramento Bee via ZUMA Wire

At Dung Tan Nguyen's funeral family members from left MICHAEL CHAMBON, BAO NGUYEN, TRANG NGUYEN and KIM ANH DINH chant a buddhist prayer during a service that would have been full of family and community members and would normally last much longer than two hours said Trang Nguyen, during the coronavirus outbreak.
© Renée C. Byer/Sacramento Bee via ZUMA Wire

Family and friends of Dung Tan Nguyen from around the world react to a live stream as TRANG NGUYEN supports her husband's aunt KIM ANH DINH in the reading of farewell messages to an empty room as his son BAO NGUYEN leans over his casket, during the coronavirus outbreak.
© Renée C. Byer/Sacramento Bee via ZUMA Wire

BAO NGUYEN, left, and his brother MICHAEL CHAMBON, take a moment to grieve at their father Dung Tan Nguyen's funeral in Sacramento, during the coronavirus outbreak. ''We had to keep it minimal and only four people allowed to view him,'' said Nguyen.
© Renée C. Byer/Sacramento Bee via ZUMA Wire

KIM ANH DINH holds a picture of Dung Tan Nguyen as his casket is wheeled outside for burial, during the coronavirus outbreak. She was one of four relatives allowed inside for the service. Normally there would be a procession of hundreds but because of the coronavirus there have been harsh restrictions on California funerals.
© Renée C. Byer/Sacramento Bee via ZUMA Wire

Cemetery workers carry the elegant casket for Dung Tan Nguyen who was a local member of the Vietnamese community and a musician, during the coronavirus outbreak. ''It would have been the family but there weren't enough men to carry it,'' said his daughter in law Trang Nguyen as she explained the COVID-19 restrictions on social distancing at Sacramento Memorial Lawn.
© Renée C. Byer/Sacramento Bee via ZUMA Wire

TRANG NGUYEN, left, said that immediate family all wore white to the funeral of her father-in-law Dung Tan Nguyen, during the coronavirus outbreak. Immediate family members were permitted after the casket was lowered to approach as a group. All other people had to come up in pairs to toss flowers into the grave.
© Renée C. Byer/Sacramento Bee via ZUMA Wire

TRANG NGUYEN is comforted by her brother after handing over the live stream camera to him during her father-in-law Dung Tan Nguyen's funeral in Sacramento, during the coronavirus outbreak.''I was crying for three days. It was a lot of stress. I would have hired a photographer and videographer,'' said Nguyen. At right her husband Bao Nguyen holds a picture of his dad.
© Renée C. Byer/Sacramento Bee via ZUMA Wire

TRACY NGUYEN, uses an umbrella to shield the sun as she stood alone during most of the funeral for her boyfriend Dung Tan Nguyen at Sacramento Memorial Lawn, during the coronavirus outbreak.
© Renée C. Byer/Sacramento Bee via ZUMA Wire

Most everyone but immediate family wore masks to the funeral for Dung Tan Nguyen a local musician and member of the Vietnamese community, at Sacramento Memorial Lawn, during the coronavirus outbreak.
© Renée C. Byer/Sacramento Bee via ZUMA Wire